Fiorella's Minestrone

1 1/2 Green Zucchinni, Medium dice
1 1/2 Yellow Squash, Medium Dice
6 stalks Celery, Medium Dice
1 Red Onion, Medium dice
1 1/2 Carrot, Medium Dice
3 Red Tomatoes Medium Dice
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 gallon Vegetable Stock (or Chicken Stock)
2 cups Tomato Juice
2/3 cup Tomato Paste
2 tbsp Beef Base
1/2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/3 cup Ground parmesan Cheese
2 tbsp Fine chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme and oregano in equal parts)
1/2 lb Spinach
Cooked Pasta noodles

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until cooked. Add carrots, celery and onions and continue to cook until celery and onions are translucent. Add yellow squash and zucchinni and saute until lightly cooked. Add vegetable stock, tomato juice, tomato paste and beef base. Bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes and simmer 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked. Add spinach last then season with granulated garlic, salt, pepper and fine chopped herbs. Remove from heat and stir in parmesean cheese. Cool and store.

Before serving add 2 oz. of cooked pasta to each bowl.

Polenta Cake

1 cup Sugar
½ tsp Sugar
½ lb Butter – softened Unsalted
4 Egg yolks -- room temp
2 tsp Orange zest – finely Grated
1 tsp Lemon zest -- finely grated
2 Vanilla beans, or 1 tsp van
1 1/3 cup Natural almonds
1 cup Yellow cornmeal, or course Polenta
1/2 cup Cornstarch  (yes 1/2 cup!)
1 tsp Baking powder
8 Egg whites -- room temp
4 tsp Confectioner's sugar
Sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325.  Generously butter an 8" X 1" square baking pan.
 
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar and the butter, egg yolks and orange and        lemon zests. Scrap seeds from vanilla bean into mixture, or add extract. Using an electric mixer, beat at high speed until smooth, light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
 
In a food processor, finely grind the almonds with the cornmeal/polenta, cornstarch and  baking powder.
 
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar until they form soft peaks. Gently fold the dry ingredients and 1/2 the beaten egg whites into the butter mixture; then fold in the remaining egg whites until just incorporated.
 
Gently scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a cooling rack for 10 minutes; then invert the cake on the rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Bruschetta Mix

8 5X6 Tomatoes, small diced    
1/2  Red Onion, small diced  
¼ cup Basil, fine chopped  
¼ cup garlic, fine chopped  
¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil  
1 fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt & black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Mix gently by hand, refrigerate immediately. Serve on sliced bruschetta.

Biscotti

8 oz Butter
12 oz Sugar
2 tsp Salt
4 eggs
24 oz pastry flour (sifted)
1 tbsp baking soda (sifted)
1 tbsp Vanilla paste

Cream together butter sugar and salt. Then add egg one at a time. Add pastry flour, baking soda and vanilla. Mix until combined but do not overmix. Separate into 3 equal parts, roll out on floured table into a 2 foot log and bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Allow to cool. When cool cut 1 inch strips on the bias and place on side. bake at 275 f0or 20 additional minutes. 

For chocolate biscotti substitute 4 oz. cocoa powder for flour.

Fiorella’s Parmesan Cheese Mix
for Bread and Pizza

2.5 lbs Grated parmesan Cheese (not shredded)
4 tbsp Dried basil leaf
4 tbsp Dried Oregano
4 tbsp Dried Marjoram
2 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tbsp Dried Thyme Leaves

Mix all ingredients together well by hand or with a spoon, and refrigerate in an airtight container. May be kept for several weeks in refrigeration

This is excellent for fresh baked bread served with aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil as we do in the restaurant, or on pizza, salads or on ripe tomatoes

Tuscan Spice

1/2 cup Chili Powder
1/2 cup Cumin, ground
1/2 cup Black pepper, ground
1/4 cup Paprika
1/2 cup Granulated onion
1/2 cup Garlic, granulated
1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon

Mix thoroughly.

Pesto

1 lb Basil
1/2 cup Pine nuts
1 cup parmsean
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place ingredients in food processor and blend until pasty. *For pesto oil, taste pesto and add oil until saucy.