Fast Food Italian Style

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Fast Food Italian Style

Miei Amici

My Italian education began when Michael's grandmother, Epifania, felt it was time for me to learn to cook . . Italian!

One of the first recipes Nonna taught me how to cook was Stewed Chicken with Polenta. By no means an Italian Fast Food Dish!

My Italian education continued as I began to visit Italy and cook with my family and friends. Now after many years of cooking Italian . . . I'd rather be out riding my Vespa than cooking all day. So this newsletter is about enjoying the authentic flavors of Italy using prepared foods that taste like a fair amount of time and effort have gone into their preparation when actually most take no longer than a few minutes. Impossibile! Not when you use these selected products available from CosiTuttiMarketPlace .

Divertiti! Enjoy!

Gnocchi Ready in 6 minutes

I admit I don't have the time or the inclination to make gnocchi from scratch anymore. So when I want an authentic gnocchi without my authentic work my go product is Read More . . .

Made in the Veneto (where Nonna was from) these light potato dumpling pasta are very close to homemade. You can serve with your favorite marinara sauce or try them with my cousin Lidia's recipe for a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce.

"I'm a 28y/o single male who doesn't cook! but after using the prepared gnocchi from CosituttiMarketPlace and this recipe . . I'm cooking now!"

In This Issue

Quick Links

www.cosituttimarketplace.com

Ravioli in 5 minutes + 5 minutes for an Unbelievable Sauce

The nutty, sweet flavor of these Ravioli with Squash Filling is very appealing. Kids love these tiny "pasta pillows" in butter. Serve as a first course for a dinner party with a Butter and Sage Sauce and your guests will be wondering at what Italian cooking school you've been studying.

Butter and Sage Sauce

Preparation time: 5 minutes.
Cooking time: 5 minutes.
2-4 T butter.
1 1/2 T fresh sage leaves
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano Cheese
Black pepper.

Wash and dry the fresh sage leaves. Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet/pan and add the sage. Cook very gently over a low flame taking care not to let the butter burn. You just want the butter to be infused with the aroma of the sage.Pour over cooked pasta and stir through well. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano Cheese.

Open a Jar

In Italy, vegetable spreads are called "creams" even though they contain no dairy products. They make a perfect topping on crostini or bruschetta.

The Black Olive Cream became a fast food favorite at Easter when it was used as an accompaniment to feta cheese and lamb and was as easy as opening a jar!

Tasting comments about this product and others from Miei Amici buyers

Pasta And A Spoonful of Pesto

This is my quick Italian fix! and a COSITUTTI favorite! The vibrant and aromatic flavors of a classic Ligurian Basil Pesto combined with Trofie Pasta, a hand rolled artisan pasta. It's quick, it's easy and you won't believe that this pesto came out of a jar. Read more about pasta and pesto . . .

You can also serve this pesto with gnocchi for an equally easy yet exceptionally good meal.

Because all products at CosituttiMarketPlace are authentic to Italy, many handcrafted in the"zona artigianale", all products may not always be available and are subject to production. I am waiting for delivery of the Ligurian Basil Pesto as it is currently OUT OF STOCK. Please check for availability or send an email to pam@cositutti.com and I will notify you when the Basil Pesto has arrived.

Fast Food Italian Style

Yes, there are"Fast Food" restaurants in Italy but they're not like what we have here. The food is of a much higher quality with great attention to freshness and regional ingredients. Here are a few I've been to

The Autogrill, a cafeteria style restaurant and caffe', located every 30-50km off the Autostrada, is the Italian equivalent of our fast food but the quality and assortment is far from any fast food restaurant in the US. The restaurants at the Autogrill (www.autogrill.it) serve fresh pasta, grilled meats, fresh salads and chef inspired desserts. Italians are very particular about their food no matter where it is being served.

Bauli Grills are similar to Autogrills and also have great pizza by the slice and cafeteria style food service as well.

Garbagnati
In Milano - midway between the Castle Sforza and Piazza Duomo, the most famous bakery in town has its self-service style restaurant. Daily specials, lots of veggies.

Spizzico is a self service fast food pizza chain owned by Autogrill that not only serves 13 different types of pizza but fresh fruit and pastries! The Spizzico I usually find myself at is the Spizzico in Milano by the Duomo and the Galleria on my way to and from shopping!

If you would like to receive an original recipe for Truffle Cheese Pizza created by a fellow Miei Amici, using Fast Food ingredients from Trader Joe email pam@cositutti.com

Pamela Marasco
cositutti