Category Archives: Cook book

Tomato-Gorgonzola Soup with Pancetta

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Printable Recipe PDF

A perfect Winter comfort food that works perfectly on the Keto Diet and easily modified for vegetarian or vegan diets.

Remember the soul-warming Tomato Soup you had as a kid? This is a delicious, adult version of that. Comfort food at its finest!

The soup can be made with the addition of either bleu cheese or gorgonzola, which is essentially the Italian version of bleu cheese. It has a slightly greener tint to it and is a little less piquant, yet still very similar. Either way it adds a wonderful layer of flavor to the soup.

This soup works perfectly for the Keto diet with no modifications needed.

It can also easily be modified for vegetarian or vegan diets by leaving out the pancetta, replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock, and substituting a non-dairy milk or cream. For richness, I believe coconut milk or cream would be best.

This soup is quick and easy to make. As always, I suggest assembling all of your ingredients in advance and do whatever chopping, dicing, or other pre-preparation is necessary (what the French call mis en place). I also recommend that you always read though the entire recipe before starting to cook. Taking these steps can make things go so much smoother.

Ingredients:

Procedure:

6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion–diced
1 large carrot–diced
2 tablespoons fresh garlic–minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons basil pesto
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup Gorgonzola (or Bleu) cheese–crumbled (plus additional for garnish)
3/4 cup pancetta (or bacon) — pre-cooked and chopped (plus additional for garnish)

  • Heat oil in soup pot. Add diced onion and carrot. Sauté until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté for one minute.
  • Add canned tomatoes, chicken stock and basil pesto. If you have a rotary hand blender, use it to puree soup until smooth (or puree soup in batches in food processor fitted with steel blade).
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add heavy cream, gorgonzola cheese and pancetta. Stir and simmer for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Garnish soup with crumbled gorgonzola and chopped pancetta.
  • Frankie’s Tips:
  • Feel free to leave out the pancetta. If you want to make it vegetarian, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock). If you want it vegan, substitute coconut cream or milk, or other creamy, unflavored milk alternative.
  • If you don’t have a rotary hand blender, I highly suggest you purchase one. They are a very handy tool to have for making soups and pureed sauces.
Printable Recipe PDF

This recipe can be found in my cookbook, Frankie at Home in the Kitchen, along with many other delicious soup recipes. The book is available on Amazon, or you may order autographed copies on my author website at frankcurtiss.com or click on the image to the right.

Hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe! Buon appetito! Frankie

Blood Orange Semifreddo – a delicious Italian dessert perfect for Keto

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Printable Recipe PDF

In my novel, Missing in Firenze, this Arancia Rosso Semifreddo is served to Antonio and his family at a celebratory dinner in Enzo’s Trattoria, owned by a friend. Semifreddo, which translates “half-cold”, is a rich and creamy, semi-frozen dessert reminiscent of a frozen mousse. Originally from the north-central region of Emilia-Romagna, it has become popular throughout Italy. Though made with heavy cream and egg yolks, the orange zest and juice give it a light and refreshing character. This dessert works perfectly with Keto diets also. All you have to do is use a sugar substitute.

You’ll notice I always start with mis en place, the French term for all in place. Then, I zested one of the blood oranges and then squeezed about a half cup of the juice.

Next, I prepared what the Italians call Zabaglione, an Italian custard. I separated the yolks from ten large eggs and put them in a bowl which will fit into a pan of simmering water to create a double-boiler. Add sugar, or your favorite sugar-substitute, a pinch of salt, zest, juice, and liqueur if you choose to add it.

To create a double-boiler, place an inch of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Place the bowl atop simmering water. Using a whisk or hand mixer, whisk the egg mixture until thick and creamy.

Check periodically with a thermometer inserted until the mixture registers 160º F (about 6-8 minutes). Set the bowl of custard into a bowl of ice water to cool completely. You’ll notice the temperature goes up quickly at first, but the last ten degrees come slowly as the mixture becomes light and airy.

The idea of whisking the egg yolks over simmering water is to produce a light, airy custard—but also to ensure the raw eggs are safe for consumption. It is critical that you cool this thoroughly before mixing with the whipped cream.

While the zabaglione is cooling, in another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard using a large rubber spatula.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and freeze until fully hardened (a minimum of 8 hours or up to 3 days).

I chose to garnish mine with candied blood orange slices and pomegranate seeds. Some other delicious alternatives to the pomegranate seeds would be crushed amaretti cookies, almonds (slivered or sliced), pistachios nuts or macadamia nuts. To candy the orange slices, dissolve sugar or your favorite sugar-substitute in simmering water. Add orange slices. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack or metal tray if you have one.

When ready to serve, unfold the plastic wrap and using the wrap like handles, lift the semifreddo out of the pan and invert onto a platter (if it does not want to come out, dip the pan briefly in warm water).

Gently peel off plastic wrap. Cut into 10 or 12 slices. Garnish with half slices of candied orange and pomegranate seeds or alternative.

Sit back and enjoy and soak up the praises which will be heaped upon you. You deserve it!

Ingredients:

Procedure:

Serves 10-12
3/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
10 large egg yolks
zest of one medium blood orange
1/2 cup fresh squeezed blood orange juice
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier (optional)
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
Pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
Candied Blood Orange Slices:
6 or more Blood Orange slices
2 cups water
1 cup sugar or sugar substitute
Procedure for Orange Slices: Dissolve sugar in simmering water. Add orange slices. Simmer for 45 minutes.

  1. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with plastic wrap, allowing enough to hang over the sides with which to cover the top after filling pan.
  2. To create a double-boiler, place an inch of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat.
  3. Place the sugar, egg yolks, zest, juice, liqueur, and salt in a large metal mixing bowl.
  4. Place the bowl atop simmering water. Using a whisk or hand mixer, whisk the egg mixture until thick and creamy; and a thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160º F (about 6-8 minutes). Set the bowl of custard into a bowl of ice water to cool completely.
  5. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard using a large rubber spatula.
  6. Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap and freeze until fully hardened (a minimum of 8 hours or up to 3 days).
  7. When ready to serve, unfold the plastic wrap and using the wrap like handles, lift the semifreddo out of the pan and invert onto a platter (if it does not want to come out, dip the pan briefly in warm water).
  8. Gently peel off plastic wrap. Cut into 10 or 12 slices. Garnish with half slices of candied orange (and pomegranate seeds if desired (or alternatives below).

You can find a Limoncello version of this dessert in my cookbook, Frankie at Home in the Kitchen, available on Amazon, or …

click on the image to the left to order autographed copies on my website.

I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe. It really is delicious! Buon appetito!

To subscribe to my food blog, go to the top left of the home page. Then you will receive notification of all new recipe postings.

Printable Recipe PDF

Announcing the re-release of my cookbook “Frankie at Home in the Kitchen”

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Five years ago, I sold the last copy of my cookbook, two days before the closing of our restaurant. Now, thanks to Amazon’s print-on-demand option the book is back in all its glory!

AUTOGRAPHED DELUXE SOFTCOVER BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR DIRECT SHIPMENT FROM MY WEBSITE.

DELUXE SOFTCOVER AND E-BOOKS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

ORDER AUTOGRAPHED COOKBOOKS HERE

Beautifully photographed and complemented with wine-pairing recommendations, this cooking compendium offers more than 120 recipes for Italian dishes inspired by the famous Washington State restaurant, Frankie’s Pizza and Pasta. Numerous delectable ideas for pizza, pasta, and antipasti are presented as well as tasty tips on soups, salads, sandwiches, beverages, and desserts. Memorable images of the famed restaurant itself are also featured along with a photographic jaunt through the author’s vegetable garden and travels to Italy. Ensuring each recipe is well tested and easy to follow, this collection is a wonderful guide for those who want to lure friends and family to the table with handcrafted Italian entrées.

Check out some photos below of the amazing dishes you’ll find in the book.

Buon appetito!

A Trio of delicious Winter Pizza Ideas

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Looking for inspiration for your pizza toppings? If you’re like me, you prefer to keep things seasonal, and in the winter the options are fewer unless you are using toppings grown south of the border or in a greenhouse. These three pizzas use ingredients readily available this time of year … olives, onions, cured meats, Italian sausage, and spicy jarred peppers.

Printable PDF of Pizza Recipes

From scratch or not from scratch?

You can make these pizzas completely from scratch if you like, or you can take some shortcuts such as buying pizza or bread dough (sold at most stores or your favorite pizzeria). You can also buy pizza sauce if you’d like. Me, I really prefer mine from scratch.

In the past I have done several posts about pizza, including how to make your own dough, baking techniques, making your own sauce, and various styles of pizza. Check out the Recipe Index below for the full gamut, or if you just want the sauce or dough recipe, click on those page links.

Quality Ingredients:

If you go to the Pizza Recipe Index, in addition to the sauce and dough recipes, you’ll also find my recommendations for the highest quality cheese and tomatoes. I tested a wide variety of both. Trust me, it will make a difference!

Pizza Recipe Index

Pizza Dough

Pizza Sauce

Keto Options?

If you’ve been on Keto for any length of time, you know there are plenty of recipes out there for Keto Pizza Crusts, made from cauliflower, and/or cheese, or almond and/or coconut flour. I’ve yet to test any of these and would only post a recipe if I had tested more than one recipe. Most major stores carry Keto Pizzas in the frozen section. We had the one from Costco. It was edible but the quality of the toppings was typical of frozen pizzas. Homemade is far superior!

So far there are only a few pizza crusts available. I saw some really small ones at Trader Joe’s, but they weren’t cheap, and supposedly Fred Meyer has one made by Boboli. I’ve not tried them but am skeptical.

I would love to hear if anyone has had experience with making or buying Keto Pizza Dough! You can write your comments below.

The Topping Recipes:

Now let’s get to the recipes for these pizzas. I’m not going to list quantities. Just put on as much or as little as you like. The toppings are listed in the order in which you would add them. In other words, the bottom item listed would end up on top.

THREE OLIVE & SALAMI PIZZA:

  • Pizza Sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Salami (of your choice*)
  • Onions – slivered
  • Three or more types of olives of your choice (such as kalamata, green, black, or gaeta)

* I’m sure you know there are many types of salami. Beyond Genoa, some of my favorites are Sopressata, Bresaola, Capocollo, and Wine Salami.

Prosciutto & Caramelized Rosemary Onion Pizza:

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Caramelized rosemary onions (see note below)
  • Prosciutto (thinly sliced)

For this pizza you’ll need to slice and caramelize your onions with rosemary prior to adding them to your pizza. I prefer to use fresh rosemary. To prepare, slice your onions and mince the fresh rosemary if using fresh. Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onions. Salt them. Once the onions begin to sweat, add the rosemary, and cook until the onions are a beautiful golden brown.

This pizza has no tomato sauce. First drizzle the dough with extra virgin olive oil before adding the other toppings.

Pizza Calabrese:

  • Pizza Sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese (half quantity)
  • Provolone cheese (half quantity)
  • Italian Sausage – preferably hot
  • Red cherry peppers or other spicy red peppers (see notes below).

As far as the cheese goes, blend them to your liking. You can use all mozzarella, or all provolone, or mix the two. A high-quality provolone is exceptional on pizza!

Regarding the peppers, Mama Lil’s is an exceptional local brand.

Calabria is in the south of Italy where they like their food spicy. This pizza recipe is supposed to reflect that. If you want to tone it down a bit, use a Sweet (or Mild) Italian Sausage, and go light on the peppers. If you want it really spicy, well you know the options! One spice option I like is a spicy chile oil. I always keep a small jar handy. All you do is take some crushed red peppers in a small bottle, add a good olive oil and let it marinate together.

Homemade Italian Sausage anyone?

If you really want to make everything from scratch, you can even make your own Italian sausage. The recipe is here on my blog. You can either make it into links or just leave it bulk which is easier. The flavor is amazing, and you can adjust the heat to your liking.

Italian Sausage Recipe

Printable PDF of Pizza Recipes

Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage & Apples in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce – a perfect flavor pairing for Autumn

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Recipe PDF: Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage & Apples
Apples from our local farmer’s market

Yes, Autumn is here and it’s time to celebrate the ingredients that are at their peak of perfection. Apples are available year-round of course, but the flavor and crisp texture are unrivaled this time of year. You’ll find the best selection and highest quality if you get them at your local farmer’s market (unless you grow them yourself!).

I first got the idea from the amazing flavor combination of gorgonzola cheese with apples. The addition of the sausage turned out to be brilliant in my humble opinion. Feel free to use pork sausage if you prefer.

Making gnocchi from scratch is time consuming but loads of fun if you like to cook … and even more fun if you do it with others who like to cook also. But feel free to buy gnocchi. You can find vacuum packed gnocchi at Trader Joe’s and other stores. If you want to make your own, I’m attaching a recipe PDF here.

Feel free to substitute pasta for the gnocchi. I would use a substantial short pasta such as rigatoni, or possibly farfalle (which we call bowtie but actually translates butterfly).

Homemade Gnocchi Recipe PDF

The sauce for this recipe is a cream sauce. Feel free to make extra if you want to enjoy some another evening (with Fettucine Alfredo for instance). The best cream for making this is the extra heavy whipping cream with 40% fat. We used the Darigold brand at Frankie’s and it is available in most supermarkets as well as Costco. It reduces better than lighter creams without separating. Unfortunately, it is usually only available in half gallon sizes. The next best option, available in pints, is 36% Heavy whipping Cream.

In this recipe, I call for sausage links. I prefer it this way, but bulk sausage would also work. You’ll find the recipe written out below, or available as a printable PDF.

Buon appetito! Frankie

Serves 4 as a main course / 6 as a first course

  • 1 recipe Potato Gnocchi (or one pound store bought gnocchi or pasta)
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts–toasted
  • 4 Chicken Italian sausage links (or pork if you’d prefer)
  • 1 pint heavy cream
  • 6 ounces gorgonzola cheese
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 2 cups diced apples (I prefer Gala)
  • 2 to 3 cloves of garlic–minced
  • Parmesan (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano) – grated or curled
  • Chopped herb such as Italian parsley or sage for garnish

Procedure:

  • If making your own gnocchi, prepare as per recipe available above. Set aside.
  • To toast walnuts, place in a dry skillet over low to medium heat and toast, stirring occasionally until medium brown and fragrant–about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside and wipe skillet with paper towel.
  • Add a little olive oil to the skillet and cook sausages over medium heat until the exterior is well browned. Add enough water to cover the sausages about two-thirds. Bring to a brisk simmer and continue to cook, adding additional water if needed, until the sausages reach an internal temperature of 165º F. Set sausages aside to cool. Wipe out skillet.
  • Add cream to skillet and simmer over low-medium heat until reduced by about 20%. Add white wine and simmer for about 2 minutes longer. Add gorgonzola cheese and lemon juice and stir in to melt cheese. Remove from heat.
  • Bring 3 to 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot for cooking gnocchi. When water comes to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt.
  • While water is heating, slice sausages into bite size pieces. Heat a little oil in a straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add sliced sausages and diced apples and sauté until apples begin to soften and caramelize. Add garlic. Stir and cook one additional minute.
  • Add sauce to pan with sausage and apples. Turn to very low heat.
  • Working in batches, add gnocchi to water and cook until they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.
  • When all gnocchi are cooked, add them to the pan with the sauce, sausage and apples. Gently toss.
  • Platter and garnish with parmesan, and parsley or sage.
Recipe PDF: Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage & Apples

So, what kind of wine to drink with this dish? I would recommend something creamy and viscous, such as a buttery chardonnay, or something to match the sweetness of the apples such as a Gewurztraminer.

Strawberries in Moscato wine… easiest dessert ever, and so delicious!

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Talk about a simple, yet delicious dessert! I’ll give this one the prize.

BEST WITH FRESH SEASONAL BERRIES!  Strawberry season is upon us.  You can get very good berries in the stores… even better in the farmer’s markets… and even better if you grow them yourself or go to a u-pick farm and pick them yourself!  Strawberries bought outside of season lack the sweet, juicy flavors of high-season berries.  But also be aware that there are types of strawberries which ripen later in the summer.  These can often be found in your local farmer’s market.

 

 

Strawberries at Redmond Saturday Market

I RECOMMEND ORGANIC BERRIES:  I like to know that my strawberries are either organic or that they are grown without pesticides.  The reason is little critters love strawberries too so pesticides are often sprayed directly on the berries, and do not wash off easily.  This is why they are listed #1 in the Dirty Dozen list… fruits and vegetables which should not be eaten unless they are organically grown.

Strawberries ripening in Frankie’s garden

MOSCATO D’ASTI is a sweet, sparkling, low-alcohol wine from the area of Asti in Piedmont. It is made from the Moscato (Muscat) grape and is wonderful for an apéritif or a “not too sweet” dessert wine. Pour it over some fresh sliced strawberries and top with whipped cream and anybody will be impressed!

 

A COUPLE OF TIPS: 

  • If you like your whipped cream even a little richer and firmer, try adding some mascarpone cheese to it (that’s what I did here). It makes a good thing taste even better.
  • I left the traditional vanilla out of my whipped cream so as not to compete with the Moscato flavors.

Below is the recipe.  If you’d prefer the recipe in a PDF click here… Strawberries in Moscato Recipe

Buon appetito!  May God bless your table with good health and his abundant love!

Frankie

 

Pizza Blog #3… Making incredible pizza at home

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This is the third post in my pizza series.  If you missed my previous posts, please check them out.  I gave a brief history of pizza, discussed Italian pizza styles, talked about baking techniques, posted my pizza sauce and dough recipes, and gave my recommendations for tomato products.

Frankie’s Pizza Class

 

Before moving on I wanted to remind you that, for those of you who live in the Seattle-Eastside area, I teach hands-on pizza classes in your home for groups of six and up.  For details on that and/or for catering of pizzas or other Italian offerings, check out my website at http://www.frankiesitaliancooking.com

In today’s post I will talk about…

  • American styles of pizza
  • Post my Basil Pesto recipe
  • Provide recipes for some of my favorite pesto pizzas

American Pizza Styles… A Regional Outlook:

When you discuss styles of pizza you really only hit upon the primary styles.  In reality there are probably thousands of variations.  While the large chains strive for consistency (why be consistently lousy I ask myself?), I would say that no two independent pizzerias are exactly alike.  The variations are endless and can be significant or subtle.  There are so many variables… types of ovens, baking temperatures, the type of flour used, dough recipes and proofing, sauce recipes, types and quantity of cheeses, and how toppings are dealt with.  New Yorkers will even tell you that their water makes their pizza different than all others, including neighboring Jersey.  Let’s start there…

New York Style:  

They say the main difference between New York and New Jersey pizza is the water.  The water in New York makes their crust pliable, so when you fold a slice lengthwise to eat it (a typical New York method), it does not crack.  New Jersey pizza on the other hand has a crisper bottom which will crack when folded.  Otherwise these two pizzas are pretty similar. 

New York pizza is a style originally developed by immigrants from Naples.  It is generously sized, with a thin, pliable crust.  It’s almost always hand-tossed, moderately topped with a southern Italian-style tomato sauce, and liberally covered with cheese.   It shares some qualities with its Neapolitan cousin but is typically a much larger pie.  The reason slices are usually eaten folded in half is its size and flexibility make it otherwise difficult to eat by hand.

This style of pizza dominates the NE states, and you’ll find pizzerias all over the country trying to imitate it.  At Frankie’s our pizzas were similar to this but our crust was a little thicker.  I was always honored when a New Yorker gave us high marks because they always thought there was no match for it.  I once had a New Yorker tell me ours was even better and I almost fell over.

New Haven Style:

Since we started on the east coast we’ll hit a lesser known pizza, at least to those of us out west.  Based in New Haven, Connecticut, this brick oven cooked pizza (or “apizza,” as New Haven-style restaurants call it) has its roots in Neapolitan-style pizza but is a delicacy all on its own.  New Haven uses a long cold fermentation process for the dough, and the oven gets the pizza nice and charred.  A “tomato pie” skips the cheese, and most New Haven pizzerias will treat mozzarella as a topping on its own.  Another variation is their white clam pizza, with clams, garlic, and cheese.

Detroit Style:  

Working our way west we next come to Detroit.  Some compare Detroit style pizza to deep-dish Chicago  style, but it’s really very different.  Detroit pizza is made in a square or rectangle pan.  The square shape is said to be the result of an early tradition of using metal trays originally meant to hold small parts in factories.

The dough is light and airy, similar to Sicilian dough methods, and the middle of the crust is nearly as thick as the edges.  When cooked, it’s crispy on the bottom and edges but light and soft on the inside.

Like Chicago pizza, the toppings and cheese (traditionally Wisconsin brick cheese, not mozzarella) go on before the sauce, protecting the dough from getting soggy.  That’s why this pizza is sometimes called “Detroit Red Top”!

Chicago Deep Dish Style:

Not all Chicago pizza is deep dish.  There is a thin style as well, but the deep dish version is so iconic that it is the version we will talk about.

Developed In the 1940s, the deep-dish version, has a deep crust that lines a large round metal pan.  Every Chicago pizza place from Pizzeria Uno to Giordano’s has its own deep-dish crust recipe, but generally, it’s made from either wheat or semolina flour to give it a yellowish color when baked (and Lou Malnati’s has its famous butter crust).

Though the pizza is quite thick, the crust itself is thin to medium thickness, and the pizza has a very thick layer of toppings.  It requires a long baking time, so the toppings are usually assembled “upside down” with cheese, vegetables, and meats placed on top of the crust, and an uncooked tomato sauce on the top layer, to help the vegetables and meats cook all the way through in the oven, and prevent the cheese from burning.

St. Louis Style:

Moving farther west we find the St. Louis style pizza, originated in the 1960s by Ed and Margie Imo of Imo’s Pizzeria.  It has a thin, cracker-like crust, made without yeast, and is topped with Provel cheese, rather than mozzarella.  Provel is a white processed cheese, made by combining cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone cheeses, and used primarily in the St. Louis area.  Even though this pizza is round, St. Louis-style pies are always cut into small squares.

California Style:

California style pizza is less about hand-tossed dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and cured Italian meats… and more about the toppings.  This pizza embraces the cuisine of the west coast.  Experimentation has few limits… think quail eggs, goat cheese, duck sausage or lobster, or smoked salmon with crème fraiche and capers.

Two pizzas that really caught on were the Barbeque Chicken Pizza, and Thai-inspired Chicken Pizza with peanut sauce, bean sprouts, and shaved carrots.  The focus is always on fresh, quality ingredients and a unique pizza eating experience.

California pizza generally uses a dough similar to the Neapolitan, and pizzas are rarely bigger than twelve inches.  This style of pizza is generally credited to Chef Ed LaDou who developed a pizza with ricotta, red peppers, mustard, and pate, that Chef Wolfgang Puck fell in love with in the early 1980s.  Puck hired LaDou to work at the newly opened Spago in 1982.  In 1985, Chef LaDou created the first pizza menu for California Pizza Kitchen.

Back to Frankie’s:

Now that we understand the roots of pizza, through its history and varying styles, let’s get back to the “how-to’s” of making a great pizza.

In my previous posts I provided you with recipes for our Frankie’s pizza dough and sauce, and talked about the best baking procedures.

In this post I’m going to share my other favorite sauce… fresh Basil Pesto… and the secret of making three of my favorite pizzas from our Frankie’s menu… all of which feature this pesto.

But before I give you the recipe let me share a few secrets I’ve learned about making the best pesto you’ve ever had!

 

 

 

Basil Pesto originates from the Genova area in the region of Liguria, a coastal area in northwest Italy (think Cinque Terre and north).  I’ve had pesto here and it is super fresh, vibrant and flavorful.  Why so good?   I’d say the most important are basil, olive oil and cheese.

 

Fresh Basil:  A lot of the basil here is grown in raised beds, often in greenhouses, with the plants very close together.  It is harvested very young while the leaves are at their most tender and flavorful.  You’re not going to find basil like that here, but you want it to be as fresh as possible.

Your best bet is either grow your own (easy when the weather is warm), or to buy live, potted basil plants (or live basil with roots in water).  Then use the freshest and most tender leaves.

Olive Oil:  A good extra virgin olive oil will make all the difference.  Olive oil loses its fresh, fruity flavor as it ages or gets exposed to too much heat or light.  Look for oils which list the year of their harvest on the bottle.  Olives are harvested in the late autumn so most of the time you’ll be buying oil which is from the prior year.  If it does not list the harvest it, it is likely more than a year old.  A local olive oil shop will have some of the best oils, but I’ve also found high quality oils, of the most recent harvest at places like Costco and Trader Joe’s.

Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese:  The best cheese for pesto (and one of the best cheeses in the world, period!) is aged Parmigiano-Reggiano from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.  You will know it’s the real thing by looking for its stamped rind.  BUT, not all Parmigiano-Reggiano are aged for the same period of time.  The best quality-price ratio I’ve found is at Costco… not the pre-grated stuff in the jar, but the wedges.  Even there it is not cheap but it will last you a long time.  I bought another brand at a local grocery store recently and I could tell it was younger because it was softer and much less flavorful.

Other Ingredients:  The next major ingredient is pine nuts or some other type of nut.  Pine nuts are very expensive so you can substitute a different nut such as walnuts or even pecans.  The flavor will change slightly but its not really all that noticeable.

One non-traditional ingredient I add to my pesto is fresh squeezed lemon juice.  Its acidity brightens both the color and flavor, and it helps it keep its bright color.

Another optional ingredient, which I learned from Marcella Hazan (one of the most respected Italian cooks of all time), is softened butter.  It adds a little creaminess and richness to the pesto.

Here is my Basil Pesto sauce recipe followed by recipes for some of my favorite pesto pizzas which we served at Frankie’s…

If you’d prefer the recipe in a PDF click here… Basil Pesto Recipe PDF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are my favorite Pesto Pizzas…

PDF Format… Vesuvius and Chicken Gorgonzola

Pesto & Goat Cheese and Quattro Formaggio

Homemade Limoncello… so easy… start a batch now for Spring!

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I am taking a brief unplanned diversion from my pizza series (I’ll do my third pizza post next week).  I recently posted a couple of pictures on Facebook of me starting a batch of Limoncello.  I got so many people asking for the recipe that I thought I better post it to avoid a rebellion.  I also mentioned a couple of dessert (dolce!) recipes made from the Limoncello.  I will post those soon.

About Limoncello:

Limoncello is a lemon liqueur which is primarily produced in the southern coastal areas of Italy, such as the gulf of Naples and the Amalfi Coast.  It is made from fresh lemon peel, alcohol, water and sugar.  Traditionally it is served chilled (from the freezer) as an after dinner digestivo.

Limoncello is super easy to make; however it needs time to steep properly (weeks or even a month or two).  So start your batch soon so you can enjoy it when the weather warms up!

Recipes I’ve worked with vary widely in how long to steep the lemons in the alcohol, and then again after the simple syrup (of sugar and water) is added.  Essentially, the longer it steeps, the better it will be; yet you hit a point of diminishing return, where the differences are so subtle it is hard to even differentiate.  Here is a tip for you… if you want to speed up the process, you can always add more lemon peels than what the recipe calls for.  Just don’t go crazy or the lemon flavor might overwhelm.

What you will need:

In addition to the ingredients listed you will need a large glass jar, such as you would use to make sun tea. You will also need enough clear, sealable glass bottles to accommodate nearly 8 cups (about 1800 ml) of finished Limoncello. In my experience, World Market is a good place to find both the glass jar and the small bottles.  You will also need a veggie peeler (see note further down).

How to make it:

Unless you are using organic lemons, wash them with produce wash or soap to remove any residue of pesticides or wax.  Dry with a clean towel before proceeding.

The next step will be to remove the peel from the lemons in long strips using a vegetable peeler.  You want to avoid getting an excessive amount of the white pith, which will lend bitterness.  In the past I used an standard vegetable peeler and had a fair amount of the white pith, which I then tried to trim off with a pairing knife… a bit of a pain.  This time I used a Titan peeler (see photo left) and it was fabulous!  I was able to get clean strips of peel with almost no white pith!  So, I highly recommend buying one, though be careful, they are super sharp.  I cut my finger with it once so was a little intimidated.  But if you hold it properly and don’t peel toward your fingers, you’ll be fine.

 

After peeling the lemons, save what remains for another use (such as making fresh squeezed lemonade).

The next steps are to steep the lemon peels in alcohol and then later create a simple syrup which you combine with that, and then steep a bit longer.  I’ll refer you to the recipe for the rest of the information.  Be sure to read the Frankie’s Tips on page 2 of the recipe before proceeding.

Buon appetito!

Download PDF Recipe or Click on Recipe below

Making Amazing Pizza at Home

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Today I am publishing the first in a series of pizza making posts.  Let me start by saying… I LOVE pizza!  This surprises me since I owned a pizzeria for 24 years and ate pizza several times a week.  I have probably eaten thousands of pies.  Yet I never grew tired of it.   It is one of the perfect foods.

And here is an interesting fact for you, when we closed Frankie’s (due to redevelopment), my pizza consumption dropped by about three-quarters, and my cholesterol went up.  Go figure.  Go eat pizza!

Until now I had  avoided posting pizza recipes because it really needs to be taught properly.  But for me now the time is right.

Pizza Classes offered: 

A side note here.  For those of you who are hands-on learners, I offer pizza classes in your homes.  So if you live in or near the Redmond, Washington area (near Seattle), gather some friends or family and schedule me to come and teach you in person.  It makes for a great party!  Information can be found on my website at… http://www.frankiesitaliancooking.com.

If you saw my last blog post you know that I just completed an outdoor kitchen with a new wood-burning pizza oven.  With this to cook in I am having more fun that ever.  But just so you’ll know, there are multiple ways to make (and bake) a great pizza, so let’s get started.

In this series of posts we will take an in-depth look at…

  • The history of pizza
  • Various styles of pizza
  • How to make pizza dough and sauce (including some variations on the dough)
  • Different methods of baking pizza
  • Pizza ingredients… which will include my favorite products for making quality pizza, especially cheeses and tomato products (because I believe these make or break a pizza).

 A Brief History of Pizza:

First let’s start with a little history of pizza, which can be controversial.  The history of pizza begins in antiquity, when various ancient cultures produced basic flatbreads with toppings.  It’s been discovered that on the isle of Sardinia they were making it with leavened dough over 7,000 years ago.  The ancient Greeks made a flat bread called Plakous, which was flavored with toppings like herbs, onion, and garlic.

The forerunner of modern pizza was probably the focaccia, a flat bread known to the Romans as panis focacius to which toppings were then added.  Focaccia is still hugely popular in parts of Italy.  Most historians credit the Neapolitans though, the people of Napoli, as being the creators of modern day pizza, when tomato was added to the focaccia in the late 18th century.

There is a well known story about how the Pizza Margherita came to be.  According to tradition, in 1889, Queen Margherita of Savoy, and her husband, King Umberto I, were on a royal tour of Italy.  This was only 29 years after the unification of the country.  Throughout these travels, the queen often observed peasants eating large, flat bread with colorful toppings.  Being curious she ordered her guards to bring her one of these so called ‘pizza breads’.  Apparently she fell in love with it, causing some consternation in her Court (it was unseemly for a queen to dine on peasant food!). But the queen’s love was not to be diminished.

Apparently word reached Naples, where they were to visit.  To honor their visit, Chef Raffaele Esposito and his wife, owners of Pizzeria Brandi, created  a pizza resembling the colors of the Italian flag, red (tomato), white (mozzarella) and green (basil).  They named it for the Queen “Pizza Margherita”.  Some also say that he was the first to add cheese to pizza.

This “cheesy” part of the legend is disputed however.  Descriptions of such a pizza recipe can be traced back to at least 1866 in Francesco DeBouchard’s book “Customs and Traditions of Naples”.  There he describes the most popular pizza toppings of the time which included one with cheese and basil, often topped with slices of mozzarella.

Whatever the real origins of this pizza recipe are, one thing we know for certain is that Raffaele Esposito’s version for Queen Margherita was the one that made it popular. Since then it has grown into one of the most recognizable symbols of Italian food culture in the world.  And in my humble opinion, whoever thought of the idea of adding cheese, is due great honor for one of the most brilliant ideas in culinary history.

Going backward and then forward,  we know the word pizza was first documented in AD 997 in Gaeta and successively in different parts of Central and Southern Italy. Pizza was mainly eaten in the country of Italy and by emigrants from there. This changed after World War II, when Allied troops stationed in Italy came to enjoy pizza along with other Italian foods.

It is my belief that pizza has not only a glorious past, but a glorious future, and will remain a popular food for as long as mankind dwells upon the earth.  And I hope there will be pizza in heaven!  I have a feeling there will be.

Easy Ways to Make Really Good Pizza:

Very soon I will be posting more information, including my pizza dough recipe.  Meanwhile there are a couple of easy ways that you can make a very good pizza without making your own dough.

  1. One is to buy pizza or bread dough from a grocery store. We recently wanted to make foccacia and did not have time to make the dough so we purchased bread dough from Trader Joe’s and it was excellent.
  2. Second is to buy pizza dough from a good local pizzeria that makes their dough from scratch. Most will sell it to you.  The advantage of dough from a pizzeria is that it is usually made from flour specially formulated for pizza, providing optimum elasticity and pliability, which makes it easier to stretch and it does not tear as easily.

But the key to either of these is how you bake them.  I strongly recommend a pizza stone (or pizza steel… see more below).

About Pizza Stones:  Unless you use a pizza stone, you will not be able to get the quality results you find in a great pizzeria.  A pizza stone, if heated properly, will seal the bottom of the pizza crust quickly, providing superior rise, texture and crispness.

Pizza stones have become very affordable and can be purchased at any good kitchen store or online.  Sometimes you can find them packaged with a wooden pizza peel (which is the only type of pizza peel you need).

Pizza stones are also great for baking rustic breads as well.  And one other good use… if you ever do take-out pizza, and want it to be as fresh and hot as it is at the pizzeria, ask them to “half-bake” your pizza and leave it uncut.  Bring it home and finish it on your stone.  Your family will fall down and worship you!

Pizza Steels:  An even better, though more expensive option, is a Pizza Steel.  They are just what their name implies, a heavy plate make of steel.  They’ll run you about $70 to $100 (I bought mine on Amazon).  These are relatively new and less well known but will give you an even better crust than a stone, especially if you want to make multiple pizzas in a session, as they retain and reflect heat better.

How to use Pizza Stones (or Steels):  The key to using your pizza stone (or steel) is to get it really hot!  I recommend a minimum of 45 minutes at 500º F (or even 525 if your oven will go that high).  One note though—if you plan to put a lot of toppings on your pizza, reduce the temperature to about 485 F, or the bottom of the pizza will get overcooked by the time the toppings and cheese are properly cooked.

Making Homemade Pizza Sauce:

I feel like I need to include at least one recipe in this post so I am going to include my recipe for pizza sauce.  My dough recipe will be in my next post.

Use this recipe as a guide and adjust things like garlic, salt and herbs to your liking.  I don’t even use a recipe anymore because I’ve been making it for so long.

Tomato Notes:  You can really make pizza sauce from almost any kind of tomatoes.  Crushed Tomatoes work well, or Tomato Sauce (especially if you add a little Tomato Paste to either), but my tomato product of choice for pizza sauce is Tomato Puree.  I like it for it’s consistency.

Using my power burner

The only problem is some stores do not carry many (if any) brands or sizes of tomato puree.  You also may not be able to find the size can listed in the recipe.  If not, just adjust the recipe accordingly.

 

 

 

My Favorite Brands:  Look for these brands which I think are the best…

  • Cento (from Italy)… a little more expensive but worth it
  • Muir Glen Organic
  • San Marzano brand (these are not true San Marzano tomatoes from Italy… they are grown in California)
  • If you cannot find any of these, Hunt’s will work fine

Have fun making pizza!  I’ll do another post soon.

The Pizza sauce recipe is below or you may download as a Pizza Sauce Recipe PDF

 

 

 

 

 

Pizza Rustica (AKA Torta Rustica, AKA Easter Pie)

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Is it a pizza?  No, not really.

Ciao amici!  With Easter coming early this year I wanted to post this in time for you to consider making it for your Easter brunch or dinner.  It is well worth the effort involved.

This is not really a pizza in the traditional sense. It is often referred to as a torta, which I think is more accurate. In Naples and southern Italy it is traditionally served on Ash Wednesday and again on Easter so it is also known as Easter Pie.

 

This dish is very unique in that it combines a sweet, tender, egg pastry dough (what the Italians call pasta frolla) with savory fillings such as prosciutto, salami, eggs, and a blend of cheeses. The sweet-savory combination comes alive in your mouth. It is one of my personal favorites.

If you are having a party or an Easter brunch, and don’t mind going to a little trouble—this delightful, unusual dish will impress your guests like few others. It looks gorgeous. It’s delicious. And it tastes unlike anything they’ve ever had before. We made it for one of our Frankie’s wine dinners and it was one of the most popular dishes we’ve ever served. It may be served hot or at room temperature.

Buon appetito!

Pizza Rustica Recipe PDF