Your favorite loaf...

Here's a picture of some fantastic crusty bread that I took on a recent trip to Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Where's your favorite bread from?

Roasted Red Peppers……Pepperoni  Arrostiti

As summer comes to a close, one of my favorite seasons commences, Canning Season! It’s really the best way to take the season’s best farm fresh vegetables and keep them year round without losing flavor or paying out-the-nose!

So, get your culo to a farm or farm stand and get a big bunch of Red Bell Peppers and roast them over some white-hot coals on the grill. As they blacken on all sides, put them into a covered container with a little water in the bottom (the water will help steam the skins off of the flesh of the peppers). Once they’re all roasted, let them steam for a few minutes. Then peel the skins from the flesh of the peppers and clean out the seeds. This is a really messy job so you might want to be like a good Italian and do this in the back yard! Once you have all the peppers cleaned, mix them with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and stuff them into pint jars and close the lids tightly. Place the jars into a large pot, make sure they fit tightly. Fill the pot with water about 2 inched above the rims of the jars. Put the pot on the stove and, once the water begins to boil, boil the jars for 1 hour. Then, allow the water to cool slightly and CAREFULLY remove the jars from the water. Place the jars onto a table and cover them with a towel. The jars that are not sealed when they come out of the water should seal as they sit (12-24 hours). The jars that so not seal at all should not be eaten. If there is any bachteria in the jar that causes it not to seal, it could be due to botchulism and could cause very serious harm if consumed.

Otherwise, these puppies are ready to onto the shelf for future use. Buon Appetito!!!!

Fiori di Zucca! 
(Zucchini Flowers!)

Every summer in early to mid August one of my most favorite delicacies are in season, Fiori di Zucca, or Zucchini flowers. So what the hell is a Zucchini Flower? Well, before the fruit or vegetable grows on the plant or tree, a flower is first formed and the fruit or vegetable grows out of that flower. In the case of Zucchini, or any squash for that matter, the flowers are large and yellow-colored. They must be picked early in the morning while they’re still open (usually before 7:00 a.m.). Then you clean them by removing the stamen very carefully and rinsing them in running cold water. And if you can do that without breaking them, you’re a pro! If you happen to get your hands on some Fiori, here’s a great recipe. You can make them plain or stuffed. Buon Appetito!!!

20

Zucchini Flowers, cleaned

Parmesan Batter

20		Zucchini Flowers, cleaned
8	oz.	All Purpose Flour
1/2	tsp.	Salt
1/4	tsp.	White Pepper
1	cup	Grated Cheese (Romano, Parm, etc…)
1		Egg
1 1/2	Cups	Tepid Water

Ricotta Filling

1	lb.	Chellino Ricotta, drainer well
1	cup	Grated Cheese (Romano, Parm, etc…)
1		Egg Yolk
1/2	tsp.	Salt
1/4	tsp.	White Pepper

For the batter, mix all of the ingredients together until smooth. It should be the consistency of thin pancake batter. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.

For the filling, beat all the in ingredients together. You can fill the flowers by using a pastry bag or a plastic bag with the end cut off. Dip the filled (or plain) flowers into the batter and GENTLY lay them into hot oil (approx. 350°). Fry the flowers until brown on both sides. Remove them from the oil and allow them to drain on paper towels for a few minutes.

I’m craving them just writing this! Buon Appetito!!