Recipes

La Vera Pizza Napoletana
Spaghetti alla Bucaniera
Risotto agli Zucchini e Fiori
Torta Caprese

La Vera Pizza Napoletana

Although pizza is available in nearly every corner of the world, nowhere does it achieve the status bestowed upon it in Naples, where the modern “pie “was born. A few years ago Neapolitan pizza makers, alarmed at what they saw as the degradation of their culinary art, established La Vera Pizza Napoletana, an organization dedicated to defining and defending genuine Neapolitan pizza.
The classic pizza is a subtle masterpiece-a no frills “pie” that showcases only a handful of the best ingredients. It is thin crusted, but never too thin, crisp and chewy at the same time. Crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a thread of fruity green olive oil, and a leaf or two of fresh basil crown the popular Margherita, named for a beloved Queen. Pizza Marinara, yet another traditional is topped with nothing more than tomatoes, garlic, oregano and olive oil. Both respect the legacy of simplicity that separates the true Napolitan pizza from its gaudy competitors.


Spaghetti alla Bucaniera

(Spaghetti pirate’s style) dish from Campania
6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil
250 gr medium shrimp (prawns) peeled, deveined and cut into 12mm pieces
Salt to taste
500g squid, cleaned and cut into rings 12mm wide
3-4 large cloves garlic lightly crushed
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian)
Pinch of pepper
500g small hard-shell clams, soaked in cool water for 30 minutes and well scrubbed
500g ripe cherry tomatoes or use Italian hole peeled
500g spaghetti or linguine.
In a frying pan large enough to hold the cooked pasta and the sauce, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. Add the shrimp and a pinch of salt. Sauté just until the shrimp are pink, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add the squid and a pinch of salt to the pan and sauté until opaque about 1 minute. Transfer to plate.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, the garlic, the parsley and the pepper flakes to the pan and cook over medium heat until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the clams and tomatoes, cover, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the clams open about 5 minutes. Discard any that failed to open. Add seafood and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil, add pasta and salt touch of oil and cook until al dente. Drain reserving a ladleful of the water.
Add the pasta to the sauce and stir and toss over medium heat, adding some of the cooking water if too dry. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve.


Risotto agli Zucchini e Fiori

(risotto with zucchini and flowers) Veneto
Any type of squash blossom can be used for this risotto. Look for ones that are tightly closed. If squash flowers are not available, the risotto will still be delicious. Try substituting a handful of shredded spinach leaves or some fresh fava (broad) beans.
About 5 cups (1.25l) chicken stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, shopped
1 clove garlic
1 cup (220g) medium-grain rice such as vialone nano or carnaroli or any rounded rice
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
1 zucchini sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6-8 zucchini flowers filaments removed and chopped
1/3 cup (45g) grated parmegiano-reggiano cheese

Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring barely to simmer.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 table spoons of the butter with the oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and stir until the kernels are hot and coated about 2 minutes. Add wine and continue to cook and stir until liquid is absorbed.
Add half
of the zucchini and cook stirring for 1 minute. Add the stock ½ cup (125 ml) at a time, stirring constantly and making sure the liquid has been absorbed before adding more. When the rice I about half cooked stir in the remaining zucchini and the salt and pepper. The risotto is done when the rice grains are creamy on the outside and firm yet tender to the bite 20-25 minutes total. Rice varies, so you may need more. If more liquid is required use hot water. Stir in the flowers just until wilted.
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the cheese. Spoon into warmed soup plates and serve.
*Any type of rounded rice can be used as it is a rice dish in Australia and New Zealand people think it has to be done with Arborio rice Not true, vialone and carnaroli rice are better quality .( our personal taste :we never use Arborio rice!)


Torta Caprese

Capri cake (Naples)
300 g almonds chopped
200 g cooking chocolate
200 g unsalted butter
200g sugar
6 eggs
2 ½ level spoon baking powder
2 tablespoon liqueur (e.g. strega, cocoa)
Icing sugar
Shop the chop Almond and chocolate very finely. Beat the butter with the sugar in a bowl until creamy. Beat eggs thoroughly in a separate bowl and add to the butter cream mixture. Add the almonds and chocolate then stir in the baking powder and liqueur.
Place the mixture in a 28 cm diameter springform cake pan greased with butter or lined with baking paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 c for about 5 minutes.
Turn the cake out on a rack to cool then dredge with confectioners’ sugar.