It's Christmas? Oh, Good. I guess it's time for ZEPPOLE

  Zeppole. Not Zeppelin. Get with it. These little puffs of sweet happiness are my family's favorite thing to make! My cousins and I always laugh when we make these - mostly because one particular cousin's version always ends up looking like dumbbells :D They are a holiday tradition, going back to the early 1900s. So please, make yourself some zeppole with your family. It will be a BLAST. Doing with this kids is an unforgettable experience. Just please keep them away from the hot oil.

For the Dough:
3 ½ cups of All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/3 cups of Warm Water, 110 degrees
1 Envelope of Yeast

To make the dough:

1) Add the yeast to warm water and set it aside for about 3 minutes.

2) In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a dough attachment, mix together the flour, salt, sugar and olive oil. Stir the yeast in the water to make sure its all dissolved and add it to the flour mixture.

3) With the speed on medium, mix until everything is combined. Reduce the speed to low and mix for 10 minutes.

Ingredients
1 Ball of Pizza Dough
Vegetable Oil, for frying

For topping,
Regular Granulated Sugar
Confectioner Sugar
Cinnamon Sugar, (half a cup of sugar with 1 Tbsp of cinnamon and mix)

Preparation

1) Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2) Cut the dough into strips and shape the strips into little squares.

3) Fry them in the hot oil until golden brown all around, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4) Drain on a paper towel lined plate and immediately dip into desired topping.

5) Serve right away for the best donuts you will ever have. 

Chocolate Mousse: You Just Died And Went to Heaven

When I die, I want to be remembered for my contribution to the Chocolate Mousse community. Pastry and Bakery owners worldwide should cut me a check for promulgating their product everywhere I go, especially since mine is beyond anything you've ever tasted in a dessert. OH, Sweet Lord. Why must you make food so fattening??? I JUST WANT TO EAT THIS FOREVER. OH. But it's the Holidays, you can eat it :) I'm not even going to describe this dish. You just need to make it and find out for yourself. Make believe you're Indiana Jones discovering new territory. You're rewards will be great and I can promise you that, in this case, you won't get killed by some pygmy in a rainforest. You may, however, die of taste overload. 

Ingredients

8 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup water, divided

2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)

3 egg yolks

5 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 cups whipping cream, whipped

1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons of Bacardi Rum 

Strawberries

Preparation

1. In a microwave or double boiler, heat chocolate, 1/4 cup water and butter until the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5-10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream, rum, and walnuts. Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. Enjoy with some Strawberries!

Un Po' di Struffoli

 Struffoli is a very, very, very traditional Italian Christmas dessert. There is no Italian Christmas without struffoli. Kids love it, adults re-kindle their youth, and we all get to enjoy the happiness of fried goodness with some honey. Do yourself a favor, either make it, or go buy it. But I know some of you guys do not have access to Italian bakeries in countries like Kazakhstan or Mongolia (whoever you are readers, HELLO! It's cool to see the blog being seen in such foreign places!!!), so you have no choice but to make it for yourself. Which is the way it should be done. This way you know it will be delicious and you can do it with friends and family, laughing, joking, and arguing :)

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups of Flour
3 Eggs
Zest of 1 Orange
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tbsp of Sugar
Small Pinch of Salt
1 Tbsp of Limoncello or Orange Juice
1 cup of Honey
Vegetable Oil for frying

Preparation

1) In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients (dough will be very sticky) dump dough onto a floured surface and form into a ball (add more flour as you pull it together so it’s no longer sticky.

2) Sprinkle a little flour in a small bowl and set the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

3) In a large pot or a deep fryer, add enough oil to get up to about 3 inches. Heat over medium high heat until the oil is about 370 degrees when tested with a thermometer.

4) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour, set aside, also line another baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.

5) Once the dough has rested, place it on a floured surface and cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin rope shape and cut ¼ inch pieces. Roll each piece into a round ball and place them on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.

6) Fry the struffoli carefully in the hot oil making sure to constantly turn them around as they fry for even cooking, once they are deep golden brown, remove onto the paper towel lined baking sheet.

6) Heat the honey in a small pot until slightly runny, add it to a big bowl and add in the cooked struffoli, toss them well for a few minutes or until they are well covered in the honey.  Sprinkle over some sprinkles and let them sit for a while before serving.

Rice Pudding. The Happy Way.

In Portugal, Rice pudding can get VERY COMPLICATED.  Not so much in making it - that's uber simple - but rather because people make VERY intricate designs with cinnamon on top of the dessert while it is on its serving tray. I've seen the Eiffel Tower done in cinnamon, checked patterns, and words - they DO NOT PLAY. I make some abstract design and call it a day. It's visually appealing and DELICIOUS. Mangia Bene!

Ingredients

1 cup of Whole Milk (you can use whatever percentage, but if I'm having dessert, I'm having a real dessert)
1/3 cup of Arborio Rice
¼ cup of Granulated Sugar
½ tsp of Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp of Ground Cinnamon
1 lemon rind

1/2 teaspoon of Almond Extract

1/2 teaspoon of Bacardi Rum

Preparation

1) Add the milk and lemon to a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, add the rice and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until the rice is tender

2) Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 5 more minutes.

3) Remove from the heat and put it in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic wrap is actually touching the rice. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. 

4) With cinnamon, make a design on top, then Serve!

Triple Chocolate Biscotti

  Before we open gifts on Christmas morning, the WHOLE family needs to have breakfast together. SO out come the biscotti, the bathtubs of Cappuccino and Espresso, and the hot Cocoa. You can have this whenever you want - not just Christmas - because it is just too delicious to not have it. We use three chocolates (my mother says it's to represent the trinity, but I think she's lying. It's really because she likes the three chocolates and that's a perfect excuse to use 'em. When all else fails, blame politics and religion :D hahaha) In any case, hope you enjoy it. Mangia Bene!

P.S. Brush your teeth after eating them. You don't want to take pictures smiling if you haven't brushed your teeth after eating them. I have had great laughs with my cousins because of these biscotti. You'll see.

Ingredients
1 ½ Cup of All Purpose Flour
1 Cup of Sugar
½ Cup of Cocoa Powder
1 tsp of Instant Espresso Powder
¾ tsp of Baking Soda
1/8 tsp of Salt
1 cup of Hazelnuts, Toasted
1/3 Cup of Chocolate Chips
3 Eggs
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
¾ of a Cup of White Chocolate Chips
2 Tbsp of Heavy cream

Preparation

1) Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2) In a large bowl add the first 8 ingredients and mix until combined.

3) In a small bowl whisk the eggs and vanilla and add it to the dry mixture. Stir everything until the dough comes together.

4) Portion the dough in two pieces and using a little extra flour or a little water to help form them into 2 logs about 2 inches in diameter. Make sure to place them about 4 inches apart.

5) Bake for 35 minutes and let cool for about 15 minutes.

6) Cut each log on a slight diagonal into ¾ inch thick slices. Place them cut side down on the parchment lined baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and return to oven for 25 mire minutes. Let cool completely.

7) Mix the heavy cream and white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and and microwave them until the chocolate has melted.

8) Drizzle or dip the cookies into the melted white chocolate and place them on a wire rack to let the white chocolate harden.

Stuffed Braised Calamari in Red Sauce

  OH. OH. OH. OH. That's what comes to mind with this dish. I would personally like to thank God and or Poseidon for Squid. IT'S JUST TOO GOOD. JULES VERNE, REST ASSURED THAT THE GIANT SQUID IN 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. MY MOTHER AND I WENT OUT WITH A HUGE HARPOON AND TURNED HIM INTO CALAMARI. RIGHT OFF THE JERSEY SHORE. HE RESISTED LITTLE - HE WANTED TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE RED SAUCE MY MOM MAKES. Another one of our fishes on Christmas Eve, there are 7, Stuffed Calamari is a dish I am very fond of. I can still remember my great-grandmother, Emma, sitting at the table, closing each squid with a toothpick to keep the filling inside.  We still do it today, so this way, she's still around. The only thing is, she used to do it while drinking a glass of Scotch Sours. I drink Chivas instead ;) Mangia Bene!

Ingredients
1 lb of Clean Whole Squid

For the filling,
½ cup Plain Bread Crumbs
3 Tbsp of Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
2 Tbsp of Capers
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Parsley
2 Olive Oil
1 Small Clove of Garlic, finely minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the sauce,
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic, sliced
Pinch of Hot Pepper Flakes
1 32oz Can of Italian Peeled and Chopped Tomatoes
½ cup of Tomato Puree
1 cup of Dry White Wine
Few Leaves of Fresh Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation,

1) In a large bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients and set aside.

2) Using a teaspoon fill each squid with the filling, going about ¾ of the way full. Secure with a toothpick and set aside.

3) Preheat a large non stick skillet with high sides over medium high heat. Sautee the garlic in the olive oil until golden and fragrant. Add the hot pepper flakes and cook for a few more seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree and the wine. Bring to a boil and add the stuffed squid to the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover with a lid. 

4) Cook for 45 minutes, stirring once in a while and turning the calamari over to insure even cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn the heat off. Add a few fresh basil leaves and enjoy!

This sauce is out of this world! We take crusty Italian bread and put it in the bottom of the bowl and scoop the sauce right on top. OHHHH.

Rice with Octopus (Arroz com Polvo)

     YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, OCTOPUS!!!!!!! I LOVE OCTOPUS. SO MUCH. Is it expensive?? YES. WORTH IT? YES. Octopus is one of our seven fishes on Christmas Eve and I am so happy it is. If you don't like octopus, I feel so sorry for your soul - please pray to your maker that you get an appetite for octopus because for real, you're missing out. I don't know how other cultures enjoy it (if they even eat it), but this is how we do it. I'm not saying run out and buy yourself an octopus (yes, I am), but on a day like Christmas Eve, you gotta do it. Mangia Bene!

Ingredients

One 3 pound frozen octopus, thawed

1 cup  water 

1 medium  onion, unpeeled

2 tablespoons olive oil1 large onion, peeled, coarse chopped 

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

Coarse salt as needed

A pinch of red hot chili flakes

2 cups long grain rice (not instant or parboiled)

4 ½ cups cooking broth*

½ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped 

Preparation 

1.  Cut the tentacles into 1-inch pieces.  Reserve the body for another use or if you are making a large quantity cut up the body as well.

2.  In a pot, combine the water, unpeeled onion with the octopus pieces.  Cover tightly and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 45 minutes or until fork tender. Extra water will be given up by the octopus.

3. Heat olive oil in a separate pot.  Add the chopped onion, garlic, bay leaf, parsley and chili peppers. Cook until the onions are translucent. When the octopus is nearly tender, reserving the cooking water transfer the pieces to the onions. Pour in about 4 ½ cups cooking broth the cooking broth.  If you don’t have enough broth, add some water to make up the difference. Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the rice for 12 to 15 minutes until the rice is tender.  Mix in the parsley and serve.

Boiled Codfish with Potatoes and Garbanzo Beans (Bacalhau Cozido)

  Listen, I hated this growing up. Codfish is such an ugly fish. and the fact that we had to eat it EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE IN 3 DIFFERENT WAYS DROVE ME UP A WALL. Thankfully, THE FEAST OF SEVEN FISHES HAS 6 OTHER ONES SO I FILLED MYSELF UP ELSEWHERE. But listen, TRADITION IS IMPORTANT. I am big on principles and traditions - the fact that my family has had codfish on their dinner table on Christmas Eve for over a hundred years means one thing only: WHO THE HELL AM I TO END IT? This dish is a mainstay of Christmas Eve in Portuguese cooking - and a record of my family's eating habits during the holiday season. SO even though it may be not the most appealing dish to everyone, it is delicious and even more important, it means something to me. Eating this dish makes me feel close to my grandparents, the people I come from, and to Portugal. Mangia Bene, or rather, in this case, Come Bem!

Ingredients

4 thick slices of salted cod

8 potatoes

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 whole eggs with their shells

green vegetables, broccoli, green beans, spinach, as desired

1onion, minced

1 bunch of parsley, chopped

2 cans of chick peas

wine vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

salt 

pepper

 Preparation

Preparation using chickpeas - 2 hours

1. Desalt the cod and soak the chickpeas in the same water for 12 hours;
2. place some salted water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil; add the chickpeas; lower the heat and let simmer covered for 1 hour 40 minutes;
3. check the water level from time to time; if you have to add more water, pour in boiling water - otherwise you risk ruining the cooking;
4. continue as below.

Preparation with potatoes - 20 minutes

1. To the saucepan containing the chickpeas, or another pot half-filled with boiling water, add the eggs, vegetables, potatoes and cod;
2. let simmer uncovered over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are completely cooked;
3. drain the eggs and shell them.

Serving

1. Place the cod on a serving platter surrounded by the potatoes, chickpeas and vegetables;
2. garnish with the hard-boiled eggs;
3. place small cruets of oil and vinegar on the table so that guests can dress their plates to their own taste;
4. offer the chopped garlic, parsley and onion in separate little dishes.