Chestnut fettuccine with toasted pignoli nuts and sage bring out the pasta’s smoky and rustic flavor. Chestnut fettuccine compliments grilled venison and turkey and adds a new dish to your holiday dinner.

Chestnut flour has a very strong flavor and you may want to experiment with different amounts of flour.

http://turosdolci.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/hunting-season-begins-in-switzerland-and-venison-is-on-the-menu/ 

We always have some Italian dishes during our holidays. Whether it is Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or Easter, there is always ravioli on our table as a first dish. We would set up an assembly line with all of us pitching in to make hundreds of them before Thanksgiving so that we could have them for Christmas also. They freeze very well, but don’t ever defrost them before cooking them, just put them into a large amount of salted boiling water directly from the freezer.

http://turosdolci.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/ricotta-ravioli-from-“the-old-country”/

In Italy desserts are often flavored with honey, chestnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Cantucci originated in the Tuscany and it is thought that they were flavored with almonds from Prato. They can be found in every pasticceria in the Tuscany. Cantucci are mostly eaten with a glass of “Vin Santo” a sweet wine. Many restaurants serve small almond biscotti with coffee and some will have a bowl of them on the table at all times. It is probably the most well-known and popular biscotti in Italy.

Following is our family recipe for cantucci. Make a full recipe and stored in a metal container, they will last a few weeks. They can be frozen up to two months – they defrost very quickly. You will always have biscotti to serve with coffee when friends drop by. 

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http://turosdolci.wordpress.com/2009/08/01/almond-biscotti-“cantucci”-recipe/

Hi all - I'm new at this but I am looking for a recipe for Italian Pepper Biscuits - I used to live in Astoria NY where there was this great Italian Bread shop and they always had them - I have retired to the Philippines and as you can imagine - I can't find anything like them here.  This is more like a twice baked bread - done in the style of a biscotti - baked once then cut into slices and baked again - not sweet and does not have anylthing but lots of cracked black pepper!  I have been searching (on the net) for days now and can not find anything that sounds close.  Anyone out there know what I am talking about and have a recipe?  Thanks in advance, Louis

One of my favorite multi-purpose breads is the Italian bread, Altamura.  However, I have never made it myself and am now hoping that someone out there knows of a good recipe.  Quite a few recipes come up in a Google search, but I trust the folks here on TFL to be more likely to come up with a winner!  Don't feel obligated to write up the whole recipe; a source would be much appreciated.  Thanks!

Summer

OK, this is a total shot in the dark, but I am looking for a recipe similar to the AMAZING sandwich rolls from Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica, CA.  These rolls have a great bubbly crust, chewy texture, and the flavor is insane!  If anyone has any insight on how to acquire a similar recipe, that would be very much appreictaed!

Does anyone have an authentic recipe for Porketta?  All my online searches seem to yield the same two recipes (posted below). Any input would be of great value.  I will probably take the best of both recipes and combine, unless anyone can point me in the right direction.

most common recipe found all over the web:

• 2 pound boneless pork loin roast
• 3 tablespoons dill seed
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

and this recipe which I think was from food network

• 1 (6-pound) boneless pork butt roast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 12 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped, feather tops saved for garnish

I am very fond of the taste and texture of Italian bread, so I followed the recipe labled Italian Bread 101 in the recipe section of kingarthurflour.com website.

Here are the results:

This is a sesame seeded Italian Bread with egg white wash

I bought 2 large teflon coated, double sided baking sheets

that I custom cut to the size of my baking stone.  On the

final rising I placed the braid on the baking sheet on top of

a cornmeal dusted flat cookie sheet that I used as a peel to

scoot the bread/sheet on to hot stone for baking.

This is the bread fresh from oven.  The picture is truncated

because my wife cut off the end before I could take a picture

as you will see in the next picture.

This is the crumb view.  The inside texture was very good.

The internal temperature was 203ºF after baking 42 minutes

in a 425º oven.  I rotated the bread half way through baking.

My oven is small so I placed the bread diagonally on the

baking stone.

I welcome questions and comments.

Bix

Asiago Ciabatta

Cheese Ciabatta Ready to Bake

Cheese Ciabatta Baking in Oven

Cheese Ciabatta Out of Oven

Cheese Ciabatta: View of Crumb

Here is the recipe from King Arthur Flour:

Having lived in Europe at various points in my life, I find myself craving a European pastries and cakes on occasion.  Are there any quintessential books that folks can recommend with French, Italian and/or Swiss-German recipes/techniques?

Thanks in advance.