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Nicole Michalik

2 Italian Recipes That Will Make You Feel Like A Gourmet Chef

By Nicole Michalik
TURIN, ITALY - JANUARY 08: Piemonte and tradition: the taste of artisanal pasta. Acqui Terme. (Photo by Giorgio Perottino/Getty Images)

I was just in Italy this Spring and now I’m on a mission to find the most delicious Italian recipes on the planet. Here are 2 Italian recipes that will make you feel like a gourmet chef. The thing about Italy and most of Europe is all their ingredients are fresh. Many people in Italy take such pride in taking their time to prepare the more delicious, fresh dishes. We were fortunate that when we went to Tuscany, the owners of the villa where we stayed prepared us the most delicious meal of ragu, salad, grilled turkey, freshly grated parma cheese, biscotti, and olive oil and wine from the family’s vineyards. In many of the restaurants is was farm to table. So many dishes are seasonal and they are proud of what flour, cheese, vegetables they use in each dish.

I’m not a chef, but we did take a cooking class in Tuscany and made homemade pasta and sauce and I couldn’t believe how simple it was. They rarely used any seasoning, which again, goes to show the quality of the food. The taste is so pure, you don’t need alot of seasoning. Most dishes were garlic, olive oil, white or red wine, and some fresh herbs, usually basil. We found two recipes that will make you feel like you’re a chef on a Italian villa below.

With summer entertaining such as the 4th of July and Labor Day coming up, it’s a great time for folks to start collecting the recipes they’ll be making later in the season. Below, you can find recipes for Iorio’s Puff Pastry Shells with Mortadella Mousse and Toasted Pistachios, and his Wrapped Asparagus with Prosciutto Cotto and Cheese, both of which use Rovagnati’s line of gourmet charcuterie meats. Some delicious Italian recipes from Celeb Chef Tommaso Iorio

  • Paolo Rovagnati Puff Pastry Shells

    Ingredients:

    10 oz sliced Paolo Rovagnati Mortadella
    ½ cup fresh ricotta
    1 or 2 spoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano aged 18 months
    1 spoon fresh cream
    2 tbsp roasted shelled pistachios, chopped
    10 puff pastry ready shell
    Fresh chives

    Directions:

    In a mixer, add the Paolo Rovagnati Mortadella diced in 1 cm sized cubes, ricotta, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
    Blend everything together until a homogeneous and non-lumpy consistency is reached.
    Add the cream and continue to blend to obtain a mousse. Adjust with salt.
    Lightly toast some dried pistachios, add some to the mousse (mix by hand) and save others for garnish.
    Next prepare the pastry shells or use sliced ​​and toasted bread as croutons.
    Transfer the mortadella mousse into a pastry bag and fill the pastry shells or top the croutons. A spoon can be used in place of a piping bag.
    Top the mousse with the remainder of chopped pistachios and serve immediately. If desired, add some finely chopped chives on top.

  • Paolo Rovagnati Wrapped Asparagus

    Ingredients:

    • 10 asparagus (thick asparagus works best)
    • 1 package sliced Paolo Rovagnati Prosciutto Cotto
    • 1 cup ground Montasio or parmigiano cheese
    • 1 cup sliced or shredded scamorza cheese
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Chopped chives
    • Chef tips: Add some drops of Aceto Balsamico di Modena DOP

     

    Directions:

     

    1. Wash the asparagus and snap each asparagus in half, keeping only the top 5 inches.
    2. Blanch asparagus for about 3 minutes (in boiling water), then put them in ice water to stop them from cooking and to keep their bright green color.
    3. Dry the asparagus on a paper or kitchen towel and allow them to cool completely. Open a slice of prosciutto (no wider than 3 inches). Lay it flat and put the central part of asparagus on top of the prosciutto, add a spoonful of shredded scamorza and some ground Montasio (or parmigiano) on top of each one. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
    4. Gently wrap the asparagus and the cheeses with the Paolo Rovagnati Prosciutto Cotto. Sear each asparagus wrap in a pan with a drizzle of oil for about 1 minute on each side, until the cheeses start to melt and the ham browns lightly.
    5. Place the asparagus wraps on plate, drizzle so

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