Recipes Archives - Page 50 of 69 - Recipes At My Table

Calabrese Turdilli

Making Calabrese Turdilli is a special tradition for our house; I thrive on keeping my Italian family together. My nonna Emilia once told me that “we come from a long line of strong women who struggled to survive”, and this keeps me going even on hard days. Nilde, 84, heads this project; over joyed with her recipes, she takes much pride in cooking.

Mom grew up in a very poor southern Italian community, but she didn’t know she was poor. Everyone in her community had little material goods, but they were rich in spirit and kindness. Most Christmas cookies had simple ingredients and came together easily. They also had to be stored easily as refrigeration was limited.

Our ancestors were very resourceful people, making feasts from the few ingredients they had at home.

WE Place the dough onto the counter and knead it.

The dough comes together easily.

Mom rolls out cords about 3/4 inch thick and then cuts into 1 inch pieces.

The little pieces now need ridges to soak up the honey or icing sugar.

She puts them on a clean cotton kitchen towel.

Here they are in the oil and like magic they turn on their own.

Go to my Facebook Page Recipes at my table to watch the video.

5 from 4 votes

Calabrese Turdilli

Calabrese Turdilli are the traditional Southern Italian cookies for Christmas.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Calabrese Turdilli

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

12 eggs
1 cup oil
6 tsp baking powder
1/8 cup Anice or Sambuca
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 3/4 cups flour

Instructions

Break the eggs into a large bowl and beat with a spatula.
Add the oil and Anice to the eggs and beat.
Continue by adding sugar and beating.
Add 2 cups of flour and the baking powder to the wet ingredients. Mix together until smooth.
Keep adding the flour one cup at a time and beating.
You might have to use a large wooden spoon now as the mixture is thick.
Once all the 6 3/4 cups of flour are added and the dough is smooth, sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour on the counter and turn dough onto counter.
Knead a few times. Dough should be smooth and pliable.
Set a large pot onto the stove top. Put in 3 litres of vegetable oil.
The heat should be on high.
Meanwhile roll out pieces of dough and make ropes that are about 3/4 of an inch thick.
Cut each rope into 1 inch pieces and make grooves into the pieces using a fork or a basket.
Make a test piece first, our tradition is that we make a cross. When the cross floats to the top and moves around, the oil is ready.
Place the turdilli in the pot one at a time.
Ensure that you add enough turdilli to the pot to fill the diameter, but not too close to each other. They need room to turn on their own.
The first batch takes about 10 minutes: consecutive batches took 6 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium/high after the first batch. The oil is now hot.
Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels.
They may be stored in freezer once cooled.

December 23, 2018

23 Comments

Baked Turdilli

Baked Turdilli are a healthier version of our traditional treats. When I go home to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for Christmas, mom and I will make the traditional ones. These are an easier version, but with good taste. The original recipe requires that you deep fry these little dough balls which turn out a bit like a donut.

Turdilli originated in Calabria, but Italians everywhere make them. They vary in size. I like them smaller so that I can taste the different kinds. I put white icing sugar and Sambuca on some and cocoa, icing sugar and Baileys on others. They honey ones are my favourite, and sometimes I pile them like a mountain. When I make a mountain of honey turdilli, I make them smaller.

First I beat the eggs and the crisco shortening.

Then I add the remainder of the ingredients and bring them together with the dough hook attachment.

The dough comes together.

It pulls away from the bowl and is ready for the counter.

The dough should be pliable and not sticky.

I cut pieces and roll them into 1 inch thick ropes and then choose your size. Mine were cut into 1 inch pieces. If you want to make a mountain, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and of course you can make them larger.

You want to put ridges in them so that the honey sticks. If you don’t have the special basket, you can use a fork.

You know that I love to peek into the oven.

Let them cool when they come out of the oven.

Melting the honey.

In they go and toss them around.

Put them on a rack onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle to decorate.

These one are iced.

Baked Turdilli

Baked Turdilli are traditional Calabrese Christmas cookies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Baked Turdilli

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Turdilli

2 eggs
2 tsp Crisco Shortening
1 cup water
1 cup oil
4 cups flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

The icing

i cup icing sugar
1 tbsp Baileys, Sambucca or your choice of flavouring

The honey

1 cup honey
sprinkles optional
white sugar optional

Instructions

The Turdilli

Beat the eggs and shortening first.
Add the water and oil.
Next put in all the dry ingredients.
Mix with dough hook.
Roll onto counter and knead a few times.
Cut large pieces and roll into 1 inch ropes.
Now, cut to desired lengths.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.
Lower oven to 350 and cook a further 10 to 15 until golden.
Place on a rack to cool.
Ice and decorate as desired.

The honey coating

Place the honey in a pan until it bubbles.
Remove from heat and toss in turdilli.
Coat all the turdilli in honey.
With a slotted spoon, place turdilli on a rack.
Garnish with sprinkles or plain white sugar.
They are also good with just the honey.

Recipe Notes

To make chocolate icing sugar add 1 tbsp of cocoa to the mixture.

Icing should be thin.

December 11, 2018December 11, 2018

2 Comments

Christmas Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Christmas Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake is nice gift to give during the holidays. This one is for our Dental office here in Leamington; Dr. Archer and her crew are the best and they offer kindness all around even in the most difficult of situations. I hope this brings a smile to their faces. Her office does many acts of kindness for our community, and I want them to feel special today.

Cranberries and Christmas go together. For more information on cranberries and their history, this is an easy read: https://kitchenproject.com/history/cranberries/index.htm

The streusel items come together.

Blend all the ingredients for the streusel until they are crumbly.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and put the yogurt in another.

Alternate the flour and the yogurt until you have creamy mixture.

Place half the batter in the bottom of a spring form pan.

Spread half the streusel mixture over the batter and half the cranberries.

Now add the remainder of the batter and smooth it out.

When it comes out of the oven, let it cool and then remove the rim.

All packaged up and ready to go.

Christmas Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Christmas Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake makes the perfect gift.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Christmas Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Streusel

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

The Cake

1/2 cup butter, margarine or oil
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plain greek yogurt
2 cups cranberries

Instructions

The Streusel

Blend the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter together until it looks crumbly.

The Cake

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Continue with the vanilla.
In another bowl gather all the dry ingredients.
Measure the yogurt into a small bowl.
Set your mixer on low and alternate the dry mixture and the yogurt.
Rinse and dry the cranberries and put them by the streusel mixture.
Prepare a 10 inch springform pan by greasing it.
Spread half the batter into the pan and top with half the streusel and the cranberries.
Top with the remaining batter.
Garnish with the remaining streusel and cranberries.
Place in a 350 F oven for 60 to 80 minutes. ( Check after 60 by inserting a toothpick; it should come out dry)
Let cool for 10 minutes and remove the rim. Then let completely cool and slide the cake off the bottom using a large knife.

Recipe Notes

Cooking time will depend on your oven.

December 7, 2018

Comforting Apple Cake

Comforting Apple Cake makes the whole house smell of sugar. I love baking with apples and my friend Catherine Wilson wants to bake a cake with apples. I hope this recipe is easier for her than the last one she tried.

The ingredients are basic and the method easy. Bring this to your table and add ice cream or cheddar cheese. It is a dense cake and small slices are in order. I like to sprinkle coconut sugar over it for a little colour.

The type of Apples you use in baking is important to the texture, flavour and the shape of your baking. Know your apples and which to use: https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-apples-for-cooking-ingredient-intelligence-208455

First you need butter and sugar.

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and add egg yolks one at a time.

Whisk the egg whites and sift the dry ingredients together.

This produces a thick batter.

Cut and fan the apples.

Press into a spring form pan and arrange the apples on top.

Just out of the oven.

Remove rim.

Comforting Apple Cake

Comforting Apple Cake fills the house with the smell of apples and sugar.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Keyword Comforting Apple Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 44 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 14 minutes

Servings 12

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs separated
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp limoncello
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2-4 apples depends on size
1 tbsp coconut sugar for sprinkling on top
1/2 tsp nutmeg sprinkling on top

Instructions

Set oven to 350 F
Butter and flour a 9 inch spring form cake pan.
Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy,
Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Now add the egg yolk one at a time while whisking.
Add the lemon juice, almond extract and limoncello.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Alternate the flour and egg whites into the creamy butter mixture. Mix only enough to combine.
Add the milk and give it one final whisk.
This is a thick batter.
Place batter into the pan.
Spread and I used a piece of plastic wrap to spread it.
Peel the apples, slice in half crosswise and then in half again.
Make cuts into each piece in a fan-like motion. Do not cut through.
Arrange the fans on top of the batter.
Lightly press the apples into the batter.
Sprinkle with coconut sugar and nutmeg.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes before removing rim.
Slice and serve warm or cold with ice cream.
You can also glaze the top with a little icing.

Recipe Notes

Use a firm apple. Make sure you know your apples.

December 4, 2018