Melanzane Ripiene Calabrese

What I love most about the blog, is being able to share recipes that family members may have lost. Melanzane Ripiene Calabrese is an old recipe that my nonna made and my mom continues to make. we have them on Christmas Eve. They are meatless and delicious.

A childhood friend, Angela Bonfierro asked for this recipe a while ago. Her mom and my nonna knew each other and are from the same area of Italy. I love this dish both hot and cold. It is simple and the true Calabrian flavours come out in every bite. I am a bit disappointed with the eggplants this time of year. Vegetables that are transported have a tendency to freeze and you can see this when I sliced the eggplant.

These were extra large eggplants. I like to buy the smaller ones, but the pandemic has made us adjust to what is available at the store. I used stale bread and bread crumbs in my recipe, but you can just use bread crumbs if you like.

One of my favourite eggplant recipes on the blog https://recipesatmytable.com/the-best-grilled-eggplant-parmigiana/

Ingredients

1 large eggplant or 6 small ones cut in half
4 slices day old bread ( sliced)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1 egg
1/2 cup hot water from the boiled egg plant
1/2 cup marinara sauce (filling)
2 cups marinara sauce ( for cooking)
2 tbsp minced parsley
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
olive oil
Calabrese oregano

Process

Wash the eggplants and cut in half. Place in boiling water and simmer for 8 minutes with the lid on. You want the pulp to soften.

Remove the eggplants and cool. Now using a fork, remove all the pulp. Try to take out as much of the seeds as you can.

In a medium bowl slice the bread, add the crumbs, the cheese and parsley.

To this now add the warm eggplant pulp and the warm water. Mix and let cool.Now add in your egg and minced garlic. Follow with the 1/2 cup of marinara and mix.

Place the eggplant in a dish and evenly divide the filling into the eggplant shells.

Drizzle some more marinara ( 1/2 to 1 cup) over the eggplant, cover with foil and place into a 350 F oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Serve with the remainder of the marinara sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and some oregano.

December 13, 2020December 13, 2020

Scalille Calabrese

It isn’t Christmas until I make Scalille Calabrese. This is one of those recipes that texture, feel and practice works in your favour. Now, everyone has their own recipe. I was hoping to be home with my mom to make these, but her old recipe card and patience are on my side. She is also available through Facetime. LOL That’s right, at 86 she is pretty savvy on that tablet.

My nonna Emilia was the queen of these little honey logs that became known as dog bones. They resemble a dog bone and the honey sweetens them. Today 4 generations gather in my mom’s kitchen to make these Christmas favourites. My video is a mix of mom making them and me. I hope you enjoy our collaboration in making this recipe.

You can watch our video on my FaceBook Page. It goes between me and my mom. I think you will enjoy the process.

Don’t forget to check out our Calabrese Turdilli https://recipesatmytable.com/calabrese-turdilli/

If you are up to reading some Italian or looking at some yummy pictures of the food in Calabria https://guideincalabria.it/itinerari/cosa-vedere-a-cosenza/natale-in-calabria-i-sapori-della-tradizione/

Ingredients

12 eggs ( remove half the whites)
3 to 3/12 cups of flour ( mom used to 2/12 and then another 1/2 on the board) I used 3/12
2 tbsp crisco
2 tbsp sugar
pinch of baking powder ( about 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt)
2 cups honey plus 1/2 cup water for the coating.

My mom, Nilde Piraino ready with her trusty recipe book. She is our hero. A cancer survivor, Nilde has never complained and at the age of 86 cooks every day making the delicious Calabrese recipes of her childhood. Love this woman!!

Instructions

Mix eggs,crisco and sugar. Make a well with flour. Pour wet ingredients into centre and mix.

You want to add enough flour to make a stiff dough.

For traditional Dog bones, Roll dough into logs and slit along the sides.

Mom making her traditional braids.

Deep fry in oil until golden. I used a deep fryer, but mom put a pot of oil on the stove.

I put them on a paper towel to dry.

Look at how fluffy they are inside.

Dip the cookies in the honey.

You can decorate with some sprinkles.

Scalille Calabrese

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

* 12 eggs remove half the whites
* 3 to 3/12 cups of flour mom used to 2/12 and then another 1/2 on the board I used 3/12
* 2 tbsp crisco
* 2 tbsp sugar
* pinch of baking powder about 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt
* 2 cups honey plus 1/2 cup water for the coating
* 1 gallon and 1/2 oil for frying canola or vegetable

Instructions

Mix eggs,crisco and sugar. Make a well with flour. Pour wet ingredients into centre and mix.
You want to add enough flour to make a stiff dough.
For traditional Dog bones, Roll dough into logs and slit along the sides.
Mom making her traditional braids.
Deep fry in oil until golden. I used a deep fryer, but mom put a pot of oil on the stove.
I put them on a paper towel to dry.
Look at how fluffy they are inside.
Dip the cookies in the honey.
You can decorate with some sprinkles.

December 12, 2020December 3, 2022

19 Comments

Nutty Coconut Cookies

Nutty coconut Cookies

Christmas is all about coconut in many respects. My Nutty Coconut Cookies come together so easily for anyone. I am trying to give you as many options as possible for the holidays and beyond. If you have nut allergies, you can replace the nuts with some candied fruit in this recipe.

The original coconut cookie is the macaroon and it has quite the history. The original macaroons came from the Arab Empire and they brought cookies of honey and nut flour to Sicily. Of course. Coconut was introduced to macaroons in the 1500’s. More of this fabulous history and a place to buy some at https://dannymacaroons.com/blogs/macaroons/where-do-macaroons-come-from

You might also like these coconut cookies https://recipesatmytable.com/little-coconut-chocolate-clouds/

Ingredients

2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 cup butter( room temperature)
1/2 cup each of brown sugar and white sugar
a large egg
1 TBSP Sambuca liqueur
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup walnuts or mixed chopped nuts
some icing sugar for dusting

Process

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Now add in the egg.

Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this by 1/4 cupfuls to the wet ingredients. Mix well after each addition. You will end up with a soft dough.

Now add in the coconut and the chopped nuts.

Using a teaspoon drop the cookie dough onto the parchment paper. Leave room between the cookies.

Bake for 12 minutes at 350 F. Take out of the oven to cool.

Dust with sugar just before serving.

Nutty Coconut Cookies

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

* 2 cups of all purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* pinch salt
* 1/2 cup butter room temperature
* 1/2 cup each of brown sugar and white sugar
* a large egg
* 1 TBSP Sambuca liqueur
* 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
* 1/2 cup walnuts or mixed chopped nuts
* some icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy. Now add in the egg.
Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this by 1/4 cupfuls to the wet ingredients. Mix well after each addition. You will end up with a soft dough.
Now add in the coconut and the chopped nuts.
Using a teaspoon drop the cookie dough onto the parchment paper. Leave room between the cookies.
Bake for 12 minutes at 350 F. Take out of the oven to cool.
Dust with sugar just before serving.

December 11, 2020November 30, 2022

Shortbread Roca Cookies

I love any kind of shortbread. It’s the richness and melt-in-your mouth texture that I want. Shortbread Roca Cookies kick Christmas up a notch. The little bit of DiSaronno adds that “what is it?” moment to the taste. The Roca gives it texture and sweetness. I think you will be in heaven.

Roca is an almond butter crunch covered in chocolate. I buy it by the large box from Costco on line. Some of the candy has a coating of chopped almonds. Sometimes I just eat Roca with a good glass of wine for dessert. LOL It’s that time of year. I do enjoy it all year too.

You may double this recipe. I used rounded tablespoons for the larger cookies, but teaspoons makes a nice dainty cookie. Adjust the cooking time form 20 minutes for the large cookies to 15 minutes for the smaller ones.

Shortbread is Scottish and if you are interested in reading about its origins go to https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Scottish-Shortbread/

Another great Christmas Cookie on my blog https://recipesatmytable.com/glazed-fruit-coconut-drops/

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
10 roca cookies, about 1 cup ground
1 tsp DiSaronno liqueur
some icing sugar for dusting

Process

This is the Roca Candy I use.

Set the paddle in your mixer and on high speed whip together the butter and sugar.

In a medium bowl mix the flour and cornstarch. Add it in 1/4 cup at a time to the butter mixture.

Lift up the paddle and scrape the rest of the dough into the bowl before adding in the Roca.

With a food processor grind the Roca.

Add the Roca and the DiSaronno liqueur and mix by hand.

Drop by tablespoons or teaspoons on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Make sure they are one inch apart.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 20 or 15 minutes depending on size. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

Dust with some icing sugar before serving.

December 10, 2020