To get a little taste of Italy, we, and by we, I mean Bryan (aka my amazing husband) prepared a THREE course homemade GLUTEN-FREE Italia feast for my cousin, his fiance and the two of us a few weekends ago. I already knew I was one lucky gal when he stood in the kitchen for six hours chopping Bobby Flay style, throwing spices in the pot like Giada and baking up delicious goodness that would make Paula Dean's insides dance. But, after we tasted the creamy stuffed mushrooms, the freshness of the vegetables in the lasagna sauce and the exploding bites of the tiramasu, lucky does not cover his culinary skills. Internet, he. did. good. Aside from owing my mum a BIG thank you for the delicious lasagna recipe, I owe my mama-in-law and his Aunt Kathy a BIG thank you for passing on those culinary skills to their sweet B. He's part engineer, part hubby, part photographer, part chef and part awesome.
Of course, it would not be right without sharing this fabulous three course meal, so without further ado, an Italia feast. You can thank me later or more specifically the people/company below.
The making of the Stuffed Mushrooms...
Side note: we made the stuffed mushrooms vegetarian style.
...and the finished drops of candy.
For the making of the lasagna (my mama's recipe)...
Ingredients:
Two 14.5 oz diced tomatoes cans
1 white onion chopped
4-6 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 green chilies (optional)
3-4 fresh basil leaves
Red pepper flakes
Italian seasoning, parsley flakes, garlic powder
Salt
1 zucchini chopped
1 small colored pepper (red, yellow or orange) chopped
Ricotta cheese
Frozen spinach
Mozzarella cheese shredded
Gluten-free lasagna noodles
Making the sauce:
It is advised (by my mama) to make the sauce the night before or the morning of so it is blended well and the spices come together.
1. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in pan
2. Saute the onions
3. After 2 minutes, saute the garlic (and chopped green chilies if you are using them)
4. Make it translucent
5. Add the can of diced tomatoes
6. Cook for 5 minutes
7. Add the basil leaves, red chilly flakes, Italian seasoning and a few parsley leaves, garlic herbs, salt and stir
8. Add the chopped pieces of zucchini and pepper
9. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of water to the sauce
10. Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes
Making the lasagna:
Make sure to take the frozen spinach out 2 hours ahead of time, so it is easier to mix.
1. Cook the noodles until they are ALMOST cooked (not cooked all the way since they will bake more in the oven)
2. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees
3. In a bowl, mix the frozen spinach and ricotta cheese together
4. With your 16x9 baking dish, place a few spoonfuls of the sauce on the bottom of the dish
5. Place the cooked noodles next to one another creating a layer
6. Spread a layer of the spinach and ricotta cheese mix on the noodles
7. Spread the sauce on top of that
8. Repeat until baking dish is 3/4 full
9. Cover the top layer with more sauce and fresh mozzarella put layer of ricotta cheese and sauce little bit
10. Bake the lasagna at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (my advice would be to start checking after 30 minutes especially if you are using gluten-free noodles)
The making of my mama's homemade sauce...
...and the making of the italia lasagna!
An Italia feast is not complete with a little something sweet. Introducing Bryan's masterpiece: tiramasu. A HUGE thank you goes to Schar for creating gluten-free ladyfingers and providing us this receipe that we can modify.
Ingredients:
3 egg yolks (large eggs)
3 egg whites
4 tablespoons of sugar
8 ounces of mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons of rum
5.3 ounce package of Schar ladyfingers
1-1/4 cups brewed espresso or coffee
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Directions:
1. Beat 3 egg yolks with sugar
2. Add rum and mascarpone cheese
3. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff (use a hand mixer or standing mixer, try to avoid using a fork (someday I will tell the story about Bryan's first baking tiramasu experience)
4. Carefully fold into the egg/rum/mascarpone mixture
5. Brew coffee
6. Soak the ladyfingers well in the coffee (should not be hard in the middle) and start to make first layer of tiramasu in 16x9 baking dish
7. Make sure the arrange the ladyfingers close together
8. Cover the first layer with half of the mascarpone mixture
9. Repeat steps 6-8
10. Top it off with sprinkling some cocoa powder on top (and some shaved chocolate or chocolate chips)
11. Refrigerate and TRY not to eat it for 6-8 hours
12. Be prepared to have your world be rocked...in a good way!
I still have dreams about this tiramasu. Thank goodness I am married to the tiramasu baking king!
Bon Appetit!
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