Simple Italy

Celebrating Your Inner Italian

Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese Calzoni Recipe

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Homemade Italian calzoni are pockets of pure pleasure.

Calzoni are half-moon shaped stuffed pizzas that can be prepared as individual servings or one large turnover to be sliced into pieces. The fillings can include a variety of meats, vegetables, and cheeses. In Italy, calzoni are not typically prepared with tomato sauce. This version combines spicy sausage (use mild if you prefer), spinach, and a blend of mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Brushing the calzoni with an egg wash gives the baked pies a professional sheen. [Read more…]

Ten Essential Tools for Pizza Making

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Store your pizza-making tools in a designated cupboard or drawer so they're ready to roll when you are.

Pizza is simple and fun to make at home, although the owner of your local pizza joint would like you to think otherwise. You can shape the crust as thin or thick as you like and top it with Italian San Marzano tomato puree, Mediterranean oregano, true mozzarella di bufala and other high-quality condiments. These ten essential tools are the minimum battery you need to create wonderful pizza right in your own kitchen. If you get hooked, you’ll find plenty more pizza-making toys—from ceramic stones to wood-burning ovens—to tempt you.

Liquid measuring cup

The class liquid measure looks like a small pitcher with a handle on the side and measurement lines painted on the side. It accurately gauges the amount of warm water or other liquid without it running over the top of the cup as it would with dry ingredient measuring cups. These measures are available in silicone, plastic, glass and metal.  Newer designs can be read by looking down into the cup instead of bending to look at it sideways. Be sure to choose one with a pour spout.

Instant-read thermometer

This handy tool takes the guess work out of determining when the temperature (105°F to 115°F) of the water is just right. If the water is too cold, the yeast won’t activate. If the water is too hot, the yeast will die.

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Pizza Aglio e Olio Recipe

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Slivered garlic, olive oil and oregano create a wonderful change from the classic tomato sauced pizza.

Pizza with garlic and olive oil is kitchen magic.

When the cupboard seems bare, you can whip up this satisfying supper or snack with basic foodstuffs—olive oil, garlic, oregano, flour, and dry yeast—that most likely are in your pantry.

This pizza is a fine accompaniment to insalata caprese, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes.

If you’re the advance-planning type, you can pull a pre-made crust out of your freezer.

Pizza Aglio e Olio Recipe

Makes one 14-to-16-inch pizza

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe
1 tablespoon semolina or cornmeal
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly-sliced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Pepper

Prepare the Basic Pizza Dough and set aside to rise. Coat a 14-to-16-inch round pizza pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle semolina or cornmeal evenly over the pan surface.

Punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured work surface and let stand for 5 minutes. With lightly floured hands or rolling pin, pat or roll from the center outward into a 14- or 16-inch circle. Transfer to the prepared pan. Fold the edges to make a rounded border. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for about 15 minutes, or until slightly risen.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over the crust. Spread with the back of a spoon. Evenly scatter the garlic, oregano, and salt over the crust. Season to taste with pepper. Drizzle on the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. Brush any pooled oil over the border of the crust.

Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

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The shaped crust--ready for topping and baking--takes only minutes of hands-on preparation and can be frozen for convenience..

Pizza is happy food that’s fun to make. Sure, carryout pizza is convenient, but are you ever really happy with the inevitable soggy crust?

In just a bit more time than you’d spend waiting for home delivery, you can create your own crusty pie heaped with your favorite toppings. This recipe for a crust baked in a pan is the one to start with when you’re starting to make pizza.

This article is the first in our pizza series to show how easy it is to turn your kitchen into a pizzeria.

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Leeks

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Soil clinging to the leeks' exterior is easy to see. Not visible is the grit between each thin layer.

Leeks—porri in Italian—are coming to market now. Their sweet flavor, tender texture, and lively green color practically sing spring. But, boy, are they dirty!

If you rinse a leek as you would a scallion, you’ll have a finished dish seasoned with grit.

Leeks contain dirt inside their layers, not only on the outside skin, according to Vegetable a Month.com. “Leeks grow layer upon layer, so any dirt surrounding a layer, gets trapped inside as the leek grows outward. It doesn’t help when wind blows or rain splashes more dirt inside the layers.”

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Winner of SimpleItaly Loves Chicken

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Auguri to Mary Ann Holm, who won the random drawing for a digital copy of SimpleItaly Loves Chicken.

Grazie to all who commented on the post to enter the sweepstakes. To thank you, here’s a recipe from the e-book.

Chicken Rigatoni all'Amatriciana is slightly spicy and totally satisfying. You'll find the recipe in "SimpleItaly Loves Chicken."

Rigatoni and Chicken all’Amatriciana

Serves 4 to 6

2          tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2          ounces thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, cut in slivers

1          onion, halved and thinly sliced

3/4       pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1          can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1/2       teaspoon crushed red pepper + extra for garnish

Salt

1          pound dried rigatoni

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Set a covered large pot of water over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the pancetta starts to crisp. Add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until golden.

Scrape the pancetta and onion to one side. Add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until no longer pink.

Add the tomatoes, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and more pepper if needed.

When the water boils, add 1 tablespoon salt and the rigatoni. Stir. Cover and return to the boil. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the rigatoni.

Add the rigatoni to the skillet. Toss to coat. Add a bit of cooking water, if needed, to

loosen the sauce. Garnish with cheese and more crushed red pepper at the table.