Cooking Italian: July 2025

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Italian Potato Salad - Recipes

EVA'S FATHER'S POTATO SALAD

MAKING ITALIAN POTATO SALADS

by EVA

FAVORITE ITALIAN DISHES

And SECRET RECIPES

SOUP - PASTA - SALADS

And MORE ...

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Friday, July 25, 2025

Pasta with Potatoes Recipe Naples

MARIA Makes PASTA & POTATOES

A NEAPOLITAN CLASSIC

MARIA & LUCIANO

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

TRAVEL GUIDE - COOKBOOK

100 REGIONAL RECIPES

Including PASTA & POTATOES

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Thursday, July 24, 2025

Sicilian Cannoli Cake

CANNOLI CAKE

Cannoli Cake with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients:

Cake Layers:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk

Cannoli Filling:

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (drained well)

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Frosting & Decoration:

Whipped cream or stabilized whipped topping

Extra mini chocolate chips for garnish

1 cup chopped Pistachios

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk, mixing just until combined.

Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

For filling, beat ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Layer cake with generous amounts of filling between each layer.

Frost with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate chips and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Stuffed Eggplant Calabrese

STUFFED CALABRIAN EGGPLANT

"So GOOD" !!!

STUFFED CALABRIAN EGGPLANT

INGREDIENTS:

small eggplants
cup stale bread soaked in water or 1 cup breadcrumbs
¾ cups (7 oz) grated pecorino cheese
whole eggs
garlic cloves, minced
Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more for frying)
Salt and black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Prepare the eggplant

Wash the eggplants thoroughly and cut them in half lengthwise. Score the flesh with a knife to encourage even cooking.

Place the eggplants in a pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender (about 10 minutes).

Drain the eggplants and allow them to cool. Scoop out the pulp, leaving the skin intact to form a “shell.” Set the shells aside and finely chop the pulp.

Step 2: Prepare the filling

In a large bowl, combine the chopped eggplant pulp, soaked bread or breadcrumbs, grated pecorino cheese, minced garlic, chopped basil or parsley, eggs, salt and black pepper.
Mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. The dough should remain firm when pressed.

Step 3: Fill and fry the eggplant

Fill the eggplant shells with the prepared mixture, pressing it down well. Use the leftover filling to form patties similar to meatballs.

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the stuffed eggplants, starting with the filling side down, until golden brown. Turn and fry the other side.
If you have prepared patties with the extra filling, fry them along with the eggplant.

Step 4: Serve

Sprinkle the stuffed eggplants generously with more grated pecorino cheese.
If desired, serve them with a spoonful of tomato sauce and another sprinkling of pecorino for a more substantial presentation. 

FAVORITE ITALIAN DISHES

And SECRET RECIPES

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Thursday, July 10, 2025

Sinatra Sauce Cookbook Daniel Bellino

Daniel Bellino, also known as Daniel Bellino Zwicke, is the author of a cookbook titled "Sinatra Sauce: Music Meatballs & Merriment"

. This book is centered around Frank Sinatra and his love for Italian food and entertaining.

Bellino's book includes recipes for Italian dishes that were among Frank Sinatra's favorites, such as pasta, meatballs, Posillipo, and Eggplant Parmigiana. It also contains stories about Sinatra's dining experiences at various restaurants and his legendary dinner parties. The book aims to inspire readers to cook, eat, and create memorable times at the table, much like Sinatra did.

Daniel Bellino Zwicke has authored several other Italian cookbooks, including:

"Sunday Sauce: When Italian-Americans Cook"
"La Tavola"
"Mangia Italiano: Memories of Italian Food"
"Grandma Bellino's Italian Cookbook: Recipes From My Sicilian Grandmother"
"Segreto Italiano: Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes"
"Positano The Amalfi Coast – Travel Guide / Cookbook"

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Bellino and Pacino Pasta

AL PACINO

On His FAVORITE PASTA

Numerous sources link the actor Al Pacino with a particular fondness for spaghetti aglio e olio, also known as spaghetti with garlic and oil

. This Neapolitan dish, characterized by its simplicity and the prominence of garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes, is reportedly a favorite of Pacino's. Some restaurants, such as Serafina in New York, have even featured a dish named "Spaghetti Aglio & Olio 'Al Pacino'" on their menus.

While Al Pacino is known for his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather movies, where the character of Clemenza notably shares a recipe for spaghetti sauce, this specific scene features a more elaborate sauce with tomatoes, sausages, and meatballs, rather than the simple aglio e olio that Pacino is said to prefer.

A simple recipe for spaghetti aglio e olio, reflective of the dish Al Pacino is said to enjoy, involves cooking spaghetti until al dente, sautéing minced garlic and red pepper flakes in good quality olive oil, combining the cooked pasta with the garlic-infused oil (along with some reserved pasta water), and then tossing with fresh chopped parsley and optional Parmesan cheese.

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, A culinary author and creator of concepts like "Meatball Parm Mondays" and "Sunday Sauce (Recipe) alla Clemenza alla Bellino alla Pacino". He is known for New York-Italian cuisine inspired by movies like "The Godfather" and "Goodfellas". His blog even features a Spaghetti recipe Daniel says is how Al Pacino likes it.

For those in New York City seeking restaurants that serve quality spaghetti aglio e olio, Yelp lists several options, including Olio e Più and Maestro Pasta, both highly rated for their Italian cuisine and pasta dishes.

Numerous sources link the actor Al Pacino with a particular fondness for spaghetti aglio e olio, also known as spaghetti with garlic and oil

The connection to "Bellino" seems to stem from Daniel Bellino Zwicke, an author of Italian cookbooks that include recipes for dishes like Sunday Sauce and Al Pacino's favorite pasta (Recipe).

BELLINO Cooks some PASTA

SUNDAY SAUCE
alle CLEMENZA
alla BELLINO alla PACINO
The GODFATHER

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