Italian Food Lovers

We run out of recipes from the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Garden Chef Series and the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend, at least for this year - next year we’ll make sure to have one of our bloggers from the Italian Food Lovers editorial team on site, so we can actually video the Chef demos and interview the Chefs (not while they demo, of course).

First of all, we would like to say thank you to Barilla USA’s Chef Lorenzo Boni, Trattoria N. 10’s Chef Doug D’Avico, Francesca Restaurants’ Executive Chef Laura Piper, Pinstripes’ Chef Mark Grimes and Mado’s Chef Rob Levitt for sharing their recipes with us. Thank you again, see you again on Italian Food Lovers!

Just to recap, this year we had the pleasure to publish on Italian Food Lovers recipes for 7 gourmet dishes. Did you try any of them at home? 

• Sautéed Wild Mushrooms Bruschetta
• Grilled Baby Octopus with Watercress Salad and Oranges
• Farfalle Piccolini Pasta Salad
• Linguine Fagottaro Pasta Salad
• Lobster Bread Salad
• Chicken Parmesan with Campanelle Pasta
• Grilled Peach and Prosciutto with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Bulsamic Must

Also, we have to say thank you to Stephanie Sette from the Academia Barilla USA Marketing Team (in the picture above) for getting all the content together for us (she does it all the time with the US events content, by the way) and of course also to Academia Barilla Italian Culinary Specialist Mario Rizzotti, who has been conducing several rounds of educational and tasting demos during the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend.

In these pictures taken during the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend Mario Rizzotti shares his Italian culinary knowledge with the show participants, teaching them how to professionally taste some of the best Italian gourmet products, such Italian extra virgin olive oils and traditional Italian cheese specialties such as Parmigiano-Reggiano and the several varieties of Pecorino, from Sardinian Pecorino Dolce to Pecorino Toscano DOP and Pecorino Sardo Gran Cru. Follow the link to see more pictures of Mario Rizzotti’s tasting demos at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

A final thank you goes of course also to all the guests and visitors and participated to the Chicago’s Chef show. If you liked the Italian cooking and Italian food culture you experienced at the Chicago Botanic Garden, you now you can find it also here on Italian Food Lovers all year round!

Also remember that you can experience the flavor and taste of Academia Barilla’s Italian gourmet food specialties all year round too, they are all available at the Academia Barilla online store, where you can also find Italian cookbooks, Chef tools, Italian gastronomy gift boxes and gift certificates!

Welcome back to Italian Food Lovers with more Chef recipes from the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Garden Chef Series event earlier this year.

Today Chef Rob Levitt (pictured here below at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s event) of Chicago’s gourmet restaurant Mado shares with us an interesting gourmet recipe from the Italian gourmet event: Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Balsamic Must! Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen!

GRILLED PEACH AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD WITH PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO AND BALSAMIC MUST
A recipe by Chef Rob Levitt
(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

- 4 slightly under ripe peaches (free stone are best)
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Academia Barilla Unfiltered Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoon Academia Barilla Natural Sea Salt
- 4 twists fresh cracked black pepper (or to taste)
- 7 tablespoon Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano (shaved with a vegetable peeler)
- 4 paper thin slices Academia Barilla Prosciutto di Parma
- 8 tablespoon Academia Barilla Balsamic Must
- arugula leaves (optional)

PREPARATION

Light a charcoal or wood grill, and let the coals burn until you have a nice, even, medium heat.

Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Toss with the lemon zest, olive oil, thyme leaves, 2 tablespoon salt and pepper.

Place the peaches on the grill cut side down. Let them cook for about four minutes, or until they can be lifted easily from the grill and have nice lines charred into them (the grill marks are mostly aesthetic. If they stick a little, it’s ok, they will still get the smoky grill flavor we are going for).

Turn the peaches 90 degrees and let cook 2 more minutes. Turn over and let cook for 2 minutes.

Take the peaches off the grill and place in a bowl with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss together and let cool.

Cut the peach halves into thirds, divide amongst 4 plates, and season with remaining sea salt.

Scatter the Parmigiano shavings over the peaches. Lay 2 Prosciutto slices over the peaches. If using, scatter the arugula leaves around the plate and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Drizzle with the Condimento Balsamico, and finish with a twist of black pepper.

Thank you Chef Levitt for sharing this yummy recipe with our readership! We look forward to having you as a blog guest again soon!

Yes, we still have a number of recipes for you from the Garden Chef Series. Today Chef Mark Grimes of Pinstripes Restaurant with a new exciting recipe, Chicken Parmesan with Campanelle Pasta.

Ready to cook? We are already heading to the kitchen… be prepared as the difficulty level of this recipe is medium, and there are several preparation steps.

CHICKEN PARMESAN WITH CAMPANELLE PASTA
A recipe by Chef Mark Grimes
(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

- 3 lbs chicken breast, 6 oz each pounded out 1/4 inch thick
- 10 oz ricotta filling
- 2.5 oz sun dried tomatoes
- bread crumbs
- white flour, seasoned
- egg wash

PREPARATION

Take 6 oz single lobe breasts and place in between saran wrap and gently pound out to 1/4 inch thick.

In three separate pans place flour, egg wash and bread crumbs in that order.

Dip each breast into flour and shake off excess egg wash and drain, next into the egg wash and drain, then into bread crumb mixture. Repeat this process with each piece.

Divide ricotta mixture into 2 oz balls and sun dried tomatoes into 0.5 oz portions.

Place cheese and tomatoes at the top third of chicken breast and roll to create an oval shape.

Heat a sauté pan with oil and brown on all sides and finish in oven until you get an internal temperature of 165 F degrees, then set aside while preparing the nutless pesto / herb oil.

INGREDIENTS FOR NUTLESS PESTO / HERB OIL

- 2 oz garlic, fresh
- 3 oz parsley
- 1 oz basil, fresh
- 1 tablespoon thyme, fresh
- 1 tablespoon oregano, fresh
- 1.5 cups Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

NUTLESS PESTO PREPARATION 

Place all ingredients in a container and puree until smooth with hand blender.

INGREDIENTS FOR RICOTTA MIXTURE

- 2.5 cups ricotta cheese, drained
- 3 cups Academia Barilla Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 3/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup nutless pesto
- 4 cups Italian unseasoned bread crumbs

RICOTTA MIXTURE PREPARATION

Mix all wet ingredients first and then add dry ingredients and mix well.

INGREDIENTS FOR MARINARA

- 3 large cans plum tomatoes
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme
- 1/4 cup white flour
- 2 cups red wine
- Kosher salt, to taste
- cracked black pepper, to taste

 MARINARA PREPARATION

Sauté onions, celery and carrots in olive oil for 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add garlic and cook 3-5 minutes, then add flour and cook out 3 minutes.

Deglaze with red wine and reduce by half and add canned tomatoes and let simmer for 60 minutes.

Puree until smooth and add extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs as you puree.

Season with salt and pepper.

FINAL PREPARATION STEP: ASSEMBLE

Take cooked chicken breast and top with mozzarella or provolone cheese slices to cover, place in oven until cheese is melted.

Slice into desired size and arrange on your plate.

Toss with Campanelle pasta or your favorite cooked Barilla pasta with the marinara and place on your plate.

Garnish with pesto oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve.

Thank you Chef Mark Grimes for sharing with us this yummy recipe! Buon Appetito from Academia Barilla!

Another recipe from the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Chef Series.

Today, Barilla USA Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni who shares another recipe he performed at the Chicago Chef Show: Rotini Pasta with Braised Fennel, Carrots and Spring Onions. Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen!

ROTINI WITH BRAISED FENNEL, CARROTS AND SPRING ONIONS

(Rotini integrali con finocchio e cipolline fresche)
A recipe by Chef Lorenzo Boni
(serves 4)

Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Season: Spring/ Summer

INGREDIENTS

- 4 tablespoons, Academia Barilla Toscano extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Cloves, Garlic
- 2 Fennel bulbs with tops
- 1 medium carrot
- salt, black pepper, to taste
- 1 bunch, spring onions
- 1/2 cup, Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 1 tablespoon, Fennel frawns, chopped

PREPARATION

In a medium pan, sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil until it turns slightly yellow, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the fennel bulbs in half, then into thin slices.

Add the sliced fennel to the skillet, along with the carrot, sliced into roundels, about 1/8 inch thick. Braise the ingredients for about ten minutes over medium high heat, covered.

Season with salt and black pepper; cover with a lid and cook through stirring occasionally.

Slice the onions into 1/2 inch strips and stir them into the mixture and cook an additional three minutes.

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and toss with the sauce. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano and the fennel frawns before serving.

Thank you for sharing with us the recipe, Lorenzo. See you soon again on Italian Food Lovers!

Here we are finally with Barilla USA Executive Chef Lorenzo Boni, who we have called in at Italian Food Lovers by mistake a couple of days ago - sorry Lorenzo!

Chef Lorenzo Boni and his team have been the spine of the Barilla Italian Cooking Weekend at the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Garden Chef Series. Pictured here below, you can see Lorenzo in action during the cooking demo, surrounded by an attentive crowd and… the full range of Academia Barilla gourmet products, which are all available online at the Academia Barilla online store.

As “resident Chef” for Barilla USA Lorenzo proposed several recipes to the participants to the event, and we are glad to be able to share with you the first one today, an easy-to-prepare pasta salad: Farfalle Piccolini Pasta Salad.

FARFALLE PICCOLINI PASTA SALAD
A recipe by Chef Lorenzo Boni
(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

- Barilla Farfalle Piccolini pasta, 1 package
- Academia Barilla Monti Iblei extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons
- 1 ripe avocado
- Cherry tomatoes, 2 pints
- Red onion, julienne, 1 cup
- Pine nuts, 1 tablespoon
- Academia Barilla Pecorino Sardo Gran Cru, grated, 1 cup
- Basil, 5 leaves
- Lemon juice from 1 lemon
- Salt, black pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Cook pasta according to directions, drain one minute prior to the lowest cooking time; drizzle with a little oil in order to prevent the pasta from sticking together and allow it to cool down flat on a sheet tray.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion with 1 tablespoon of oil. Set aside.

Slice the tomatoes in half, season with salt and let drain in a colander.

Sauté the pine nuts over medium heat till lightly brown.

Dice the avocado. Combine all the ingredients with pasta, season with salt and pepper.

Allow the salad to rest for half hour at room temperature before serving.

Thank you Lorenzo for sharing with us your pasta salad recipe - we’ll publish more recipe of yours soon again!