Learn To Speak Italian Fluently

Try mushroom risotto.

Italian Grilled Shrimp Scampi
2 lbs raw jumbo shrimp
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
fresh ground black pepper
2 limes, juice of
garlic butter
–Split each shrimp on underside down to tail, try to avoid cutting meat (use sharp knife or scissors). Put shrimp in bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Push onto skewers and grill shrimp 6 inches from heat over a low charcoal fire. Turn frequently (takes about 15 minutes to cook). Serve skewered shrimp scampi with garlic butter.

Garlic Butter
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 cloves garlic (mashed)
salt
–Mix all ingredients well. You can divide this into individual servings, or just leave it in one dish.
*For a more robust garlic flavor, melt the butter with the crushed garlic in it.

Antipasto Salad
1 (9 ounce) package refrigerated cheese-filled egg tortellini
1/2 cup peeled and julienned carrots
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced in strips
2/3 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
12-14 kalamata olives, pitted
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 slices pepperoni
10-12 grape tomatoes, halved
black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
–Cook tortellini, rinse with cold water and drain. Place in serving bowl. Add carrots, red pepper, artichokes and olives. Add pesto and olive oil and mix. Add grape tomatoes and pepperoni slices and season with black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, toss with Parmesan cheese.

And for dessert of course…

Cannoli
Shells
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup white wine
shortening, for frying
Filling
4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
1/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream, optional
Shells: Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter. Add egg yolks; stir with a fork. Stir in wine, 1 tablespooon at a time, with a fork until dough clings together. Form a ball with the dough and let stand for 30 minutes. Roll dough almost paper thin, on a well-floured surface. Using the rim of a margarita glass (about 3-4 inches across), make circle imprints into rolled dough. Using a paring knife, make sure circles are cut all the way through. Roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube, overlaping the ends and press to seal, flaring out the edges slightly. Fry one or two at a time in hot melted shortening (about 360°F) for approximately 1 minute, turning to brown all sides. Remove from hot grease and drain on paper towels, seam side down. Let cool a minute or two before trying to remove metal tube. To remove the tube hold cannoli shell down on the paper towel and carefully slide the tube out one end. Leave cannoil shells on paper towel, seam side down to cool completely.
*Shells can be stored in airtight containers and made several days prior to filling.
Filling: Drain ricotta cheese over cheesecloth if ricotta is watery. Combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Squeeze Maraschino cherries with paper towels to remove all liquid (If you don’t squeeze them good, you will have a pink water filling!). Stir cherries and chocolate chips into the ricotta mixture, being careful not to over mix. For a lighter filling, you may whip 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to form stiff peaks, and fold into filling mixture at this step. Chill filling for about 30 minutes before piping into cooled cannoli shells. Keep refrigerated until time of serving.
*You may garnish the cannoli by sprinkling powdered sugar on top. Whipped cream, a cherry, and shaved chocolate can also be used to garnish the top.

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

The recipe is Sicilian. If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, you may cook the chops on the stove at medium-low.

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 pork chops

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic, reserving for other uses.
Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side.
Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)