Recipes from Veneto

Venetian Nights

When speaking about the beautiful region of Veneto you automatically visualize the city of Venice. Venice is the most popular tourist spot in Veneto bringing in 60 million tourist a year to the tiny city of light.

Venetian cuisine is filled with fresh seafood and rich risottos. The region also has some fabulous duck, gnocchi and polenta recipes for you to enjoy. It’s cuisine is very diverse and the simplicity of it’s ingredients and sauces enable you to recreate some wonderful dishes.

Each town has it’s traditional dishes as well as it’s excellent wines and cheeses. Venetian cooking combines it’s ancient heritage with simple ingredients producing some of the most exquisite dishes in Italy.

Great Venetian Recipes

Venetian Bacon and Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS

5 slices of pancetta, chopped and cooked

1 8 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

1 pound of fresh baby spinach

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

3 Tbls of red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tsp of sugar

1/4 cup of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped

PREPARATION

In a medium size bowl, mix together the bacon, peppers and tomatoes.

Rinse the spinach and trim the stems.

In a large skillet, sauté the spinach and garlic in the olive oil until the spinach is wilted.

Stir in the cannellini bean and cook for 1 minute.

Add the vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar and cook for 1 minute.

Place the mixture on a serving platter and top with the pancetta, pepper and tomato mixture. Serve warm.

Serves 4 people

Venetian Rice and Pea Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

5 Tbls of butter

1 10oz. Package of frozen peas

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1 cup of Arborio rice, uncooked

6 cups of chicken broth

1/4 cup of fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

In a large pot sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter until tender.

Add the peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the rice and stir for a few minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes until the rice is tender.

Stir in the parsley.

Remove from heat and toss in the parmesan cheese just before serving.

Serves 4 people

Braised Veal with Squash

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash, halved with seeds and fiber removed.

3 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbls of butter

2 medium size yellow onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbls of fresh rosemary

2 pounds of cubed veal

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1 cup of Marsala wine

2 cups of beef broth

PREPARATION

Peel the butternut squash and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

In 3 quarts of boiling salted water cook the squash until tender.

Drain and set aside.

In a small skillet, sauté the onions, garlic and rosemary in 2 Tbls of olive oil until the onions are translucent. Set aside.

In a large pot, brown the veal on all sides in the remaining oil and the butter>

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the Marsala and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the onion mixture. butternut squash and broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours until the meat is tender and the squash is pureed.

Serves 4 to 6 people

Roast Red Snapper with Potato and Olives

INGREDIENTS

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

6 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbls of fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup of Gaeta or Kalamata olives, pitted

1 large whole red snapper or black sea bass, cleaned and scaled

1/2 cup of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

3 sprigs of thyme

1 and 1/2 cups of dry white wine

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, 3 Tbls of olive oil and rosemary.

Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper

Place the potato mixture in a baking dish.

Add the tomatoes and olives and drizzle a little more oil on top.

Season the fish with salt and pepper.

Stuff the fish with the parsley and thyme.

Place the fish on top of the potatoes and rub the top with the remaining olive oil.

Pour the white wine around the fish.

Cover the baking with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes.

Remove the foil, baste the fish and roast the fish about 20 minutes longer.

Place the fish on a cutting board.

Plate the potato mixture on a large platter.

Fillet the fish and place over the potato, tomato and olives.

Drizzle the pan juices over the top and serve.

Serves 2 to 4 people

Venetian Fried Cream

INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup of sugar

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Zest from 1/2 of a lemon

4 cups of whole milk, warmed

6 Tbls of unseasoned breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil for frying

PREPARATION

In a large mixing bowl, whish the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla for 5 minutes.

Gradually add the flour and lemon zest.

Add the milk in thin streams.

Place the mixture in a medium sized pot.

Place the heat on medium flame and stir until the mixture thickens. Do not bring to a boil or the milk will curdle.

Remove the pot from the stove and pour the content on a work surface, preferably marble.

Using a knife, spread the mixture out in the shape of a rectangle about 1 inch thick.

Let the mixture cool.

Cut the mixture into 2 inch diagonals.

In a medium size bowl whip the egg white.

Place the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl.

Dredge the diamonds in the egg whites and then the breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan.

Fry them in the oil until golden brown on both sides.

Serve warm

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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