Appetizers - Antipasti Recipe List

• Bocconcini and Fresh Tomatoes
• Brushetta
• Eggplant parmesan - Melanzana Parmigiano
• Fried calamari - Calamari fritti
• Rice balls - Arangini with ricotta
• Salmon (smoked) and Cream Cheese Canape Entree
• Stuffed peppers
• Stuffed tomatoes

Bocconcini and Fresh Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 20 Grissol plain Hors d'œuvres
• 60 ml 1/4 cup Sundried tomatoes, cut in julienne strips
• 30 ml 2 tbsp Fresh basil, chopped or 10 ml (2 tbsp) of dried basil
• 60 ml 1/4 cup Olive oil
• To taste Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 Pieces of Saputo Bocconcini cheese, cut into 4 equal sections

Directions:

1• In a bowl, mix dried tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.
2• With a cooking brush, lightly brush the oil mixture on the hors d'œuvres.
3• Top with one section of Bocconcini cheese.
4• Cover with the dried tomato and basil mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4 people

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Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 red onions, cut into a small dice
• Fresh basil leaves (12-15), chiffonade
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
• 3 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 loaf of Italian bread, sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté it for 2-3 minutes.
2• Add salt, pepper, and basil and sauté for another minute.
3• Add balsamic vinegar and tomatoes and cook for two minutes.
4• Cut the bread slices into 4 pieces and brush them generously with olive oil and bake in 350-degree oven for about five minutes or until golden.
5• Top each slice with a spoonful of the tomato mixture and serve.
Serves 6 to 8 people.

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Eggplant parmesan

Ingredients:

• 5 eggplants, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• salt
• 1/4 vegetable oil
• 250 grams ricotta cheese
• 6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 liter pasta sauce

Directions:

1• Fry egglplant slices to a light brown using vegetable oil.
2• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in egg and basil.
3• In a lasagna baking dish, evenly spread spaghetti sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Top the eggplant with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering process until all the eggplant and cheese mixture is used. Pour remaining sauce on top of layers, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
4• Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbly.

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Calamari Fritti a la padella

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. squid-cleaned, and cut into rings
• oil for frying
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tbls corn starch
• salt and pepper
• lemon wedges for garnishing

Directions:

Make sure you run very cold water over the calamari - drain excess water and then dredge in flour before frying them.

Do not over fry the calamari. I highly recommend a cooking thermometer for oil which will give you an accurate read when frying the calamari. The ideal temperature is 325 to 375 Fahrenheit.

1• Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep skillet until the right termperature has been achieved (as mentioned above) and then dip calamari in flour, shaking off excess flour mix and then fry until golden

2• Drain on paper towels and then add salt and pepper to your taste and garnish with lemon wedges

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Rice Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 container ricotta (325 grams)
• 500 grams of rice
• 1 cup of grated cheese romano or parmesan
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• parsley
• basil
• black pepper
• vegetable oil for frying

Description:

1• Cook rice until tender. Drain and rinse. Pour rice in a large bowl and add eggs, ricotta, cheese, parsley, basil, black pepper and a little salt. Mix well.
2• Take rice mixture in your hands (a little bigger thant he size of a golf ball) and form into ball. Roll in breadcrumbs and put aside.
3• Heat oil and fry rice balls until a golden brown. Remove and put on paper towel. Serve after cooling for 10 minutes.

HOW TO RICE BALLS VIDEO AVAILABLE BY CLICKING HERE

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Salmon (smoked) and Cream Cheese Canape Entree

Salmon and Cream Cheese Canape Entree

Ingredients:

• Smoked Salmon
• Cream Cheese
• Baguette

Directions:

1• Cut baguette, white or whole wheat in canape style slices
2• Spread the cream cheese
3• Add slice of smoked salmon
4• Serve on large tray

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Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 3/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated fresh tomato
• 6 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons currants
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 8 strips anchovies
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2• Cut the peppers into inch-wide strips.
3• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and sweet, about 5 minutes.
4• Combine the onion, breadcrumbs, tomato, cheese, pine nuts, currants, mint and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Stir well, then season with salt and pepper.
5• Arrange half of the pepper strips in a shallow oiled baking dish. Top with half of the breadcrumb mixture, then arrange the remaining pepper strips over the breadcrumb mixture and top with the remaining breadcrumb mixture. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the strips of achnovies.
6• Bake until well browned and crisp on top, about 30 minutes.
7• Serve warm or at room temperature, not hot.

Serves 6.

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Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 8 round, large tomatoes
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Freshly shredded basil

Directions:

1• Wash and dry the tomatoes, then cut around their caps and scoop out the pulp with a spoon, being careful not to puncture the tomatoes.
2• Do the scooping over a bowl so as to catch all the liquid that drips from the tomatoes as well, and when you are done blend the pulp and juice.
3• Then combine the blended tomato pulp with the remaining ingredients except the wine. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
4• Stuff the tomatoes with the filling without tamping down too hard, replace the caps, and put them in a lightly oiled oven proof dish.
5• Pour the wine into the dish and bake the tomatoes until done, about 45 minutes. Serve either hot or cool.

This dish can be served warm or cold and it will serve as an antipasto or as a vegetable side dish.  

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