Category: Appetizers

Sausage,cheese and onion dip

Sausage Peperonata Cheese Dip

Sausage peperonata cheese dip

My Sausage Peperonata Cheese Dip is perfect for Super Bowl Sunday as an appetizer.  One of my favourite dishes growing up was fried peppers with sausage.  I love this dish and serve it with fresh bread for an appetizer, but Super Bowl is coming up and I want to make some quick and easy foods that we can eat.  I am taking a spin on this Italian favourite and making a Sausage Peperonata Cheese Dip. Appetizers are part of the meal, but for a day like Super Bowl Sunday a bunch of appetizers make the meal.  The best Super Bowl parties I attended were at my daughter Erika’s house and her husband Brian makes an interesting Nacho dish.  They always had a table full of choices for every palate and we spent many Super Bowls in Nunavut surrounded by friends, food and laughter.

The madness behind the dip

It’s all about dipping these days and there are dips and melted cheese everywhere.  That’s where I got this idea.  Instead of crackers or corn chips, I am using crostini: I have a nice baquette that I will slice and toast or you can buy them ready-made at any grocery store.  The peperonata will have Italian sausage that I take out of the casings and freshly diced local peppers from our abundant Leamington Greenhouses.  I decided on provolone cheese for its sharpness, mozzarella for its creaminess and ricotta to smooth it out.  In my testing stages, I used half and half, but then had a can of 2 % carnation milk and this worked best.

Cheese, Sausage and peppers for dipping.
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Sausage Peperonata Cheese Appetizer

Just in time for Super Bowl!!

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Dip

  • 3 Italian sausages
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion minced finely
  • 3 peppers, one each of yellow, red and oranges
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp fennel
  • 1 tsp red pepper chilli flakes optional and may add more
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup grated provolone cheese
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1/2 can 2% evaporated milk
  • 1 cup 4 cheese Italian blend Sargento makes a good one.
  • 3 scallions

The Crostini

  • 1 large baquette
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp oregano

Instructions

The dip

  1. Take the sausage out of the casings and chop.

    Put the olive oil in the pan and brown the sausage. Salt and pepper to taste.

    You may add 1 tsp of red chilli pepper flakes here. 

    Add the onion.

    Follow with the peppers.

    Next, pour in the diced tomatoes.  

    Cover and simmer for 3 minutes.

    Make a spot in the middle and put in the cream cheese.

    Add the evaporated milk, stir, cover and simmer for another 3 minutes. 

    Put in the shredded cheese and stir.  

    Pour into a deep baking dish. Top with more shredded cheese. 

    Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes. 

    Broil on low for 5 minutes.


The Crostini

  1. Slice the baguette.

    Combine olive oil and spices.

    Brush both sides of bread.

    Spread on a prepared cookie sheet with parchment paper.

    Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes, turning at half way point.


Recipe Notes

If you like a spicy dip, you can add jalapeños or hot sauce to this recipe.  

You can also make this ahead and freeze it. I put it in smaller dishes and take it out for a snack sometimes.  

 

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Stuffed Eggs Italian Style

Stuffed Eggs Italian Style

These Stuffed Eggs Italian Style are a staple in my Italian kitchen.   My first memories of eggs are that of them chirping;  my nonna would say that they were talking to us.  It was the same sound of a chicken and that worried me: one scientific explanation is that the membrane of the egg comes through the holes inside because eggs are porous and thus the chirping.  Nonna would boil eggs to take to the beach as a snack, and she would entertain me with stories using the chirping sounds. My nonna Emilia was a most renowned storyteller.

This recipe was inspired by Filippo Vairo who wrote a recipe book called Antichi sapori di Amantea.  Thank you to our friends at  Hotel La Tonnara in Amantea. When I was there in September 2017, they gave me this treasury of recipes some of which my grandmother made. You can put these eggs on top of a bed of greens drizzled with olive oil.  They will be the centre of attention at any table.  The tomato ones are very delicate, while the tuna and olive ones have a bold flavour.

When put on a platter they are a complete meal.

Why stuff an egg?

We stuff an egg because like I said in previous posts, Italians stuff everything.  The traditional deviled egg uses mustard or something spicy to elevate the flavours.  There is an appearance of Roman seasoned eggs which dates back to the fourth or fifth century.  If the history of the deviled egg interests you, read this article http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-ancient-history-of-deviled-eggs

I enjoy reading the history behind the foods we eat.  Today, my stuffed eggs Italian style aren’t fancy, but they are tasty.  Remember it is the combination of flavours that will give you a variety of dishes.

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Stuffed Eggs Italian Style

Combination of simple flavours.

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The main Ingredient

  • 6 eggs hard boiled
  • 1 tsp salt

The stuffing

  • 3 tsp olive oil
  • marinara sauce
  • parsley
  • tuna
  • green olives
  • lemon
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

  1. Put the eggs in a pot and cover with one inch of water.

    Add a teaspoon of salt.  This stops the eggs from cracking and makes them easier to peel. 

    I bring the pot to a boil and then turn of the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes before I run them under cold water.

    Keep them in a cold water bath for 10 minutes.

    Peel.

    I like this easy video by Faith Durand.  

    https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-boil-eggs-perfectly-every-time-video-202415

The fillings

  1. Combine the yolks of two eggs as follows:

    First combination:  yolks plus two tablespoons of marinara sauce.  Add chopped parsley, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

    Second combination:  yolks plus 2 tbsp tuna, 1 tsp olive oil, sprinkle of oregano, salt and pepper.

    Third combination: yolks plus, 10 chopped green olives, lemon zest, 1 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper.  


Assembling the eggs

  1. Slice the eggs lengthwise and remove the yolk.

    Arrange on a pretty platter.

    Once the fillings are assembled, use a teaspoon or a piping bag to stuff eggs. 

    Fill 4 halves with each filling.  

    Arrange your favourite vegetables in the centre.  I used red peppers and scallions.

    Sprinkle with chives and drizzle some olive oil overtop. 

    Add some freshly grated lemon zest.  


 

 

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Tempting Italian Pizza Buns

Tempting Italian Pizza Buns

One of my favourite panini in Italy is a soft roll stuffed with meats, cheese and other goodies.  I like it because you can buy it and carry it down the street; I guess they would be the equivalent of a pizza pocket.  These Tempting Italian Pizza Buns can be stuffed with anything you like.  Whatever you do, don’t put any tomato sauce inside; I use marinara as a side for dipping.  In the video I stuff them with capicollo (pork cold cut) and cheese. My favourite are stuffed with rapini, sausage and onions.  Everything is pre-fried and then it becomes the little treasure inside. Try to use two items or at the most 3 inside these buns.  You can put them in the refrigerator, and they can be frozen.  They make the perfect all-in-one sandwich.

The Inspiration behind this bun

My nonno Salvatore loved fried rapini with sausage; in fact, most Italians love this dish and it is on many lunch menus.  The buns stuffed with rapini, sausage and onions that I make are a tribute to nonno Salvatore. When I am in Italy, I enjoy the buns stuffed with ham and cheese; and so, the idea for this recipe came about.  Sometimes I would stop by my favourite bakery in Cefalù and pick the stuffed buns up on the way to the beach and they became a mid-morning snack. Today, I am stuffing these pockets with capicollo and cheese because not everyone in my family likes rapini as it is an acquired taste.  You can also substitute other vegetables.  I like fried peppers, onions and mushrooms in this pocket. Remember not to use anything to soggy in the filling, or the bun won’t retain its shape.

Making your own bread dough is easy. Don’t be intimidated. It is simply a combination of flour, water, yeast, sugar and it’s done. I love this dough because it doesn’t need to rise. If you don’t like to make your own dough get some frozen pizza or bread dough at your local bakery.  It’s all good!!

Blanche some rapini and fry it.

Fry up some onions to golden brown.

Take two Italian sausages and remove from casings and fry up with the onions.

Rapini, onions and sausage ready for the buns.

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Tempting Italian Pizza Buns

Pockets of flavour!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Filling

  • 1 bunch rapini blanched and fried
  • 2 Italian sausage links removed from casings
  • 2 large onions thinly chopped fried

The Buns

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1 tbsp quick rise yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for brushing buns
  • grated parmesan cheese sprinkle on buns

Dipping sauce

  • Marinara Sauce

Instructions

The filling

  1. Clean and wash the rapini.  Cut and discard all the hard long stems. Place the rapini in a pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes.  Remove to a cold bath.

    Take the sausage out of the casings and break it up.  Fry until golden brown. Remove from the pan.

    In the same pan add 2 tbsp of canola oil and fry onions. Remove and mix into sausage.

    Drain the rapini well. Cut up into small pieces.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil to frying pan and fry the rapini.  

    Add the rapini to the onions and sausage and mix well.  Set aside


The Buns

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

    Combine the warm water with the yeast and sugar. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

    Put the flour and salt in a mixer.

    Pour the liquid into the mixer at low speed.

    The dough will form a ball. 

    Put it onto a floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes.

    Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. 

    Cut dough into two parts and each part into six.

    Form circles.  I use the bottom of a glass to press down the dough.  (see video)

    Fill each circle with your choice of ingredients.  Don't put too much in the centre.

    Pinch the dough together, shaping each piece into a ball by pulling the edges under.

    ( see video)

    Put on a large pan lined with parchment paper.  

    Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

    Let the buns sit on the pan for 5 minutes.  

    Cook for 25 minutes.  





Recipe Notes

Keep the stuffing ingredients simple.  You can use pepperoni, peppers,mushrooms,etc.  Try to keep it to a maximum of 3 ingredients per bun.

 

 

 

Rapini and sausage Pizza Bun.

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Fennel Bread and pizza in a bag

Fennel Bread and pizza in a bag

Fennel Bread and pizza in a bag brings fresh bread to the table with ease.  I love fresh bread and there is this fennel bread that our local bakery makes, but they always run out.  I had to find a way to make some. I remember baking bread with my nonna and I wasn’t about to make 12 loaves.  I needed something quick, easy and that anyone could make.  My sister-in-law Kim Allen loves this bread and I had to find an easy way for us to do this.  My Fennel Bread in a bag is as easy as it gets.  I also use this dough to make two round or one large pizza. Pizza in a bag is easy.

This is the dough when it comes out of the bag

The dough cuts easily and now ready to braid.

Ready for the oven. In the long braid we tucked some parmesan shaved cheese. 

Piping hot out of the oven.  

For this pizza I used ricotta and basil on one half and sliced capicollo and ham on the other half. 

Delicious slice for me. 

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 3/4 cup flour
  • 5 tsp fast rising yeast
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup warm water

Wash

  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds

Directions

  1.  Take a large plastic zip freezer bag.
  2.  Put in the flour, sugar,salt and yeast.
  3. Combine the olive oil and egg.  Beat lightly. Pour into the bag over dry ingredients.
  4. Pour warm water in the bag over everything.
  5. Zip bag and knead mixture a few times.
  6. Place bag in warm water and let it sit there for an hour.
  7. After an hour, open bag and dough will slip right out.  Make sure that you have lightly dusted your counter.
  8. Knead dough 5 times and form a ball.
  9. Divide ball in two portions
  10. Divide each portion in three and braid.
  11. Make a wreath and wash with the milk and olive oil.
  12. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds over each.
  13. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

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