For the dough:

1  1/2 cup flour
2  Tblsp confectioners sugar
1  Stick butter
1/4  Tsp salt
4  Tblsp cold water

Pulse flour, sugar, salt in food processor 10-12 pulses.  Add cold butter (chopped into small pieces).  Add water one Tblsp at a time after pulsing.

Roll dough into ball then flatten into a 12-14″ round.  Cover with wax paper or plastic wrap.  Put dough round in refrigerator for 15 minutes to set up.

For the filling:

3 cups sliced peaches (leave skin on)  We used very small peaches for this recipe.
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp fresh lemon juice
3 Tblspn Casa Giulia Apricot Jam (for spreading on dough)  Note:  other jam flavors will work as well.

Place peaches, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice into glass bowl.  Mix gently together using 2 spoons.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Finish:

Place dough round on parchment paper, lightly floured.
Spread 3 Tblsp jam over dough.
Spread peach filling mixture onto dough.  Use mostly peaches, save juice for spreading on top of the dough.
Fold one inch of dough back toward center, framing the filling.
Spread reserved juices over edges of dough.

Bake for 45 minutes or until dough becomes brown.
Place on wire rack to cool.

Serve warm, vanilla ice cream would be a plus for this treat.

Buon Appetito!

I’ll never forget my first Valentine’s Day memory:  6th grade, Dallas, Texas.  There was a really cute boy in my class and I had the biggest crush:  Chris.  He was blonde and CUTE.  Unfortunately, the week of Valentine’s Day I got the flu, was super sick, and had to stay home from school all week.  It was 2/14 (sometime in the 80″s) and I was lying on the couch feeling less than Valentinesy.  Around 6:00 pm the doorbell rang.  My mom came over and said, “Andrea, you have a special visitor.”  It was Chris at the door!  Clearly his mom was waiting in the car.

Chris:  “I know you weren’t at school today because you were sick, but I wanted to bring this box of chocolates and tell you Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Andrea:  (Speechless)……

Are you kidding me?  I looked horrible and he was so sweet.  I said, “Thank you,” told him I’d see him at school next week, took the chocolates (sick or not, chocolates are chocolates!), and closed the door.  I was so frustrated that I wasn’t prepared for my surprise visit, but my dad reassured me I’d have many more Valentine’s Days to look perfectly perfect.

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone out there who was ready for their Valentine or was just slightly off with the timing.

By the way, Andrea’s grown up, a working business woman who still likes chocolates, and who still can be surprised.

A few months back I wrote about Formato Brothers’ delicious Muffuletta Olive Salad and mentioned I was going to the birthplace of the infamous sammy:  New Orleans.  So as promised, I have returned from my visit and would like to share some pics with my amici!

The hubby I love and I stopped by The Central Grocery Store on Decatur Street in the French Quarter.  Before we even stepped inside, the Store seemed to be calling us in with its colorful window display of Italian food products.  We stepped inside immediately to a line of people waiting to get their Muffulettas.  Luckily, we got there there at the perfect time, 11:00 AM, because the line was out the door by the time we left.

The Store smelled of fresh meats, cheeses, garlic, and bread.  My mouth was literally watering as I waited for my turn.  I finally got to the counter, picked up some spices for mom and dad along the way, and ordered the half-sandwich and a Peroni (clearly)…

The Muffuletta was as delicious as I imagined.  The olives and oil were fresh and complimented the meat and cheese perfectly.  The ambiance was an Italian dream come true.  I felt like I was back in my Grandmother Formato’s house with all my relatives cooking, eating, drinking and shouting over one another to be heard.

If you’re ever in New Orleans LA stop in The Central Grocery and grab a Muffuletta for yourself and taste a little history.  But in the meantime, create your own version using Formato Brothers Muffuletta Olive Salad!

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 9 pieces lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 2 Tbsp Antica Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 7 Italian sausages, cut the casing & remove
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
• 1 bottle Formato Brothers Hot Eggplant Salad (16 oz)
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 4 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil

PREPARATION:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta until al dente.  Drain, lightly oil & set aside.

In a medium saucepan, saute the sausage in olive oil, until no longer pink.  Remove cooked sausage from the sauce pan & spoon off excess oil, discard.

Add Formato Brothers Hot Eggplant Salad & garlic to the sauce pan, sauteing for another 4 minutes until the mixture is cooked through.

Add marinara sauce to the mixture & set aside.

In a medium bowl blend ricotta cheese & 1/4 cup of the grated parmesan cheese; set aside.

Coat a 9×14″ baking dish with olive oil & spread 1 cup of the sauce mixture on the bottom.

Top with 3 lasagna noodles.  Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture on the noodles & layer on 1 cup of the sauce mixture.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella chees over this along with one cut cut up cooked sausage.  Repeat this process two more times, starting with the noodles & finishing with the remaining 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Place a layer of the remaining four cooked up cut up sausages across the top of the lasagna & then sprinkle with oregano and basil, then cover with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes until hot & bubbly in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

BUON APPETITO!

From Chef Gary Marino, one of our favorite inventive Italian friends.  Always thinking of new ways to use Formato Brothers products!!!  Grazie, Chef Gary!

2 eggs, steak, mozzarella cheese chopped,
Formato Brothers Hot Pepper Spread, chopped red & green peppers,
salt, pepper

DELICIOSO