Italian

Perfect Almond Biscotti...

Traditional Easter Meat Pie! 

Traditional Italian Cream Cake could not get any more authentic than from my Grandmother.. Straight from Southern Region of Italy! 

DOUGH:

3 1/2 Cups Flour

1 C Sugar

1 grated lemon rind (or 1 tsp lemon extract) 

4 eggs

3 tsp. (1T) baking powder

3/4 c shortnening

FILLING:

1 1/2 C Sugar                              6 egg yolks

4 Tbsp corn starch                      2 C whole milk

4 Tbsp flour                                 2 C half-n-half

4 tsp vanilla 

TO MAKE DOUGH: 

Mix flour baking powder, sugar, and shortening to resemble crumbs. Add eggs and extract. Work into dough. Spray tins with Bakers Joy baking spray with flour. Form a small ball, the size of a walnut, out of dough. Press into tins. Fill with cream. Flatten more dough to cover. Gently rub tops of pastries with milk before baking.Bake at 350* for 25 mins. 

*Helpful Hint: roll the walnut size dough in between suran wrap and flatten to make it easier to fill the tin.  Should be very thin. 

TO MAKE ITALIAN CREAM:

Mix dry ingredients together in a saucepan. Then add yolks, milk and half-n-half. Stir constantly with burner on medium or a little higher, until cream bubbles. Continue cooking, siirring constantly and rapidly for a minute or two longer. Remove from burner. Separate cream into bowls. In one bowl, add at least 2 tablespoons of cocoa to make chocolate cream. Stir until totally blended. Cover both fairly soon after making it, or else a hard top with form on the creams. Refrigerate for later use, or fill tins with cream when cooled a bit.     ***After pastries cool, sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

TO MAKE 60 PASTICIOTTI (DOUBLE RECIPE)

DOUGH:                                                                   FILLING:

7 cups Flour                                                              3 cups sugar                                      

2 cups Sugar                                                            1/2 cup corn starch

2 tsp grated lemon rind or extract                             1/2 cup flour

8 eggs                                                                       8 tsp (2T & 2 tsp) vanilla

6 tsp (2Tbsp) baking powder                                    12 yolks

1 1/2 cups shortening                                               4 cups whole milk

                                                                                  4 cups half-n-half

* For Chocolate Cream, mix in 1/4 c cocoa to half of above filling. 

Absolutely to die for and, with as unhealthy as it is, it could be the death of you. I wouldn't indulge too often, but when I do, I like to make a dessert that uses all those egg whites. My favorite dessert? Pavlova with Strawberries! I'm feeling fat just thinking of them. I can't tell you how much I love these two recipes. They're my all-time favorite. ~Michelle

From the Lucy McGregor/Serio Family Recipes 

Also known by our family as the "I Like This House Meatballs," - Quote from Will Cooper, age 4.  He was left at Mimi's house while his mom and dad went out of town.  He was having a little separation anxiety until he sat down to dinner and tasted this pasta dish and exclaimed he did indeed "like this house!"  In Mimi's opinion, these meatballs and sauce taste very much like that served at the old Brocato's Restaurant in Shreveport when she was a child.