Recipe Course: Appetizers & Snacks

Flank Steak Carpaccio-Style with Spinach and Shaved Parmesan

  • Place steak and vinegar in 13- x 9-inch glass or ceramic pan; turn to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 1 hour.
  • Preheat grill; grease grate well. Remove steak from marinade. Grill steak for 8 minutes per side or until instant-read thermometer temperature registers 145°F when inserted into thickest part. Transfer to cutting board with well to catch juices; let stand for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, place spinach on dinner plates or large serving platter. Cut steak into thin slices diagonally; arrange over spinach. Drizzle with collected meat juices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with oil. Cut shavings from Parmesan cheese and scatter over top. Serve with bread on the side.

 

Tip: Instead of barbecuing, the flank steak can be broiled for about 8 minutes on each side if desired.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Filippo’s Favorite Sicilian Meatballs

  • Combine bread crumbs and milk in small bowl; let stand until bread crumbs are well moistened. Mix in pork, eggs, Pecorino cheese, raisins, pistachios, parsley, lemon zest and garlic; season with salt. Form into 8 slightly flattened meatballs.
  • Heat olive oil over medium heat; cook meatballs, turning once and browning well on both sides for about 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Filippo Berio’s Traditional Cannoli

  • In large bowl, sift together all-purpose and cake-and-pastry flours, sugar and cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup port wine, 2 beaten eggs and vanilla; blend with pastry blender or fork, adding up to 1/4 cup more of the port wine if needed, until mixture can be formed into a ball. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes (or use electric mixer) until smooth and stiff.
  • Cover dough and refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll out one-third of the dough until very thin. Using small plate as a template, cut dough into 4-inch rounds. Wrap each cannoli tube with 1 round; seal edges by brushing with beaten egg.
  • In skillet large enough to hold 1 cannoli tube lengthwise, heat 2 cups of olive oil over medium-high heat until temperature reaches 350°F or until small piece of cannoli dough quickly floats to the top when dropped in. Cook each cannoli in the oil, turning, until golden brown on all sides; drain on paper towels. Remove tubes carefully; repeat with remaining rounds.

Filling: Mix together ricotta, amaretto, 3 tbsp icing sugar, lemon zest, chocolate chips, almonds and cinnamon; fill cannoli. Sprinkle cannoli with extra icing sugar.

Tips:

• If you like, you can use an equivalent amount of sugar substitute instead of sugar.

• You will need several metal cannoli tubes (available in kitchen supply stores) to make the cannoli.

Recipe provided by Jim Coleman, Executive Chef of Normandy Farm and Coleman Restaurant

Filippo Berio Olive Oil Pound Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Grease 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Combine flour, salt and baking powder; set aside. Pour olive oil into large bowl of electric mixer; slowly mix in sugar, orange juice and vanilla.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add milk; mix for 2 minutes. Gradually mix in flour mixture.
  • Pour batter into loaf pan; bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and cake is golden on top. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely on rack.

Fig and Grape Cake

  • Grease 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil; line with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside. Place figs in bowl; pour orange liqueur over top. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together sugar, olive oil and eggs; fold in half of the flour mixture, mixing until well blended. Stir in half of the buttermilk; fold in remaining flour mixture, then remaining buttermilk. Fold in figs with liquid; mix well.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan; press grapes into batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake is lightly browned and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on rack to room temperature. Run butter knife along edge of pan and invert cake onto serving dish. Remove and discard parchment paper.

Tip: If desired, sprinkle cake with icing sugar or serve with a dollop of whipped cream. If using whipped cream, try piping it along the edge of the cake and adding a whole dried fig as a garnish.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Double Chocolate Biscotti

  • On sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
  • Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup olive oil with sugar until smooth and light. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until smooth. Add milk and vinegar; beat until smooth. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Stir in chocolate morsels with a large spoon; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 large baking sheets with 1/2 tbsp olive oil each. On lightly floured surface, divide dough into quarters. Roll each piece of dough into a log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place logs on baking sheets, leaving space in between. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden and set. Transfer to rack; let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. On cutting board and using a serrated knife, cut each log into 3/4-inch-wide slices diagonally. Place slices, cut side down, on the baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to racks; let cool.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Cucumber Yogurt Dip

  • Line large colander or sieve with double thickness cheesecloth or large coffee filter; place colander over bowl. Spoon yogurt into colander; cover with waxed paper. Refrigerate for 24 hours or until liquid no longer drains from yogurt. Discard liquid; transfer yogurt to bowl.
  • Meanwhile, quarter cucumber; scoop out seeds. Finely chop cucumber; drain on paper towels.
  • Stir cucumber, olive oil, vinegar and garlic into yogurt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover; refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

Tip: Make sure you use plain yogurt made without gelatin for best results.

Chocolate, Cherry and Walnut Biscotti

  • In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  • Using electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup olive oil with sugar until smooth and light. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until smooth. Add milk and vinegar; beat until smooth. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in walnuts, cherries and chocolate morsels using a large spoon. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat 2 large baking sheets with 1/2 tbsp olive oil each. On lightly floured surface, turn out dough. Using pastry scraper, divide into quarters; roll each piece of dough into log, 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Place logs, separated, on prepared baking sheets; bake for about 30 minutes or until golden and set. Transfer to rack; let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. On cutting board and using serrated knife, cut each log into 3/4-inch-wide slices diagonally. Place slices, cut side down, on baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until toasted. Transfer to racks; let cool.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Blueberry-Melon Fruit Salad with Thyme Dressing

Thyme Dressing: In small saucepan, combine honey, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice and thyme sprigs; bring to low simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Strain dressing into mixing bowl and whisk in olive oil.

 

Salad: Gently toss together melon, blueberries, and 1/3 cup dressing in serving bowl. Spoon into individual ramekins or glasses and garnish with thyme sprigs. Serve immediately, with extra dressing on the side.

 

Provided by Chef Jim Coleman

Applesauce Spice Cake

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9-inch square pan with olive oil. In bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
  • Using electric mixer at medium speed, mix brown sugar with olive oil until blended. Add applesauce; mix well. Add flour mixture all at once; beat on low speed until well blended. Stir in raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared baking pan.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool completely on rack; cut into squares.

Tip: If you like, dust the cake with icing sugar or frost with whipped cream.