Italy

STAPLE FOOD

• Rice
• Polenta
• Wheat

One of the most popular dish of Italy is the pizza. America alone eats an average of 350 slices per second. That's a lot of pizza

Ingredients
3 pizza breads 6" diameter
½ cup onions, finely chopped
1 cup tomato puree
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
½ tbsp sugar
8-10 flakes garlic
½ tsp red chili crushed
¼ tsp cinnamon clove powder
¼ tsp omam (oregano) seeds
2 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste

For topping
1 capsicum
2 onions
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
4-5 tbsp cooking cheese, grated
1 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

Preparation
Slice the capsicum and onions into thin round slices for topping and keep aside. Add chopped onions in the heated butter. Stir-fry it for about 2-3 minutes. Add a cupful of tomato puree in it and bring it to boil. Mix together chili powder, garlic, clove-cinnamon powder and salt. Add all the ingredients except corn flour and boil it for about 5 minutes. Mix the corn flour in ½ cup of water and make a smooth paste. Add it to the boiling sauce. Stir it continuously to avoid a formation of lumps. Cook it with continuous stirring. Make it thick enough to spread over the pizza bread. Allow it to cool, with occasional stirring in order to avoid a surface drying. 

Spread a ladleful of pizza sauce on bread. Place slices of capsicum and onions over the sauce. Sprinkle coriander over it and cover with grated cheese. Bake it in a hot oven for about 5 minutes or till the cheese melts and the base becomes crispy. Cut the pizza into triangles and serve it hot. 

The Italian dessert known worldwide is Tiramisu.

Ingredients

·                                 5 egg yolks

·                                 1/4 cup white sugar

·                                 1/2 cup Marsala wine

·                                  

·                                 1 cup heavy cream, chilled

·                                 2 tablespoons white sugar

·                                 1 pound mascarpone cheese

·                                  

·                                 2 cups strong brewed coffee, room temperature

·                                 2 tablespoons white sugar

·                                 1/2 cup brandy

·                                 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

·                                 48 ladyfinger cookies

·                                 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1.                       To make zabaglione: In the top of a double boiler, beat yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth and pale yellow. Place over simmering water and gradually beat in Marsala. Continue to beat over simmering water until soft mounds form, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cool bowl, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2.                       Whip heavy cream with 2 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in mascarpone and zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

3.                       In a small bowl, combine coffee, 2 tablespoons sugar, brandy and vanilla. Arrange 16 ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of coffee mixture over each cookie. Ladyfingers should be soaked, but not crumbling. Spoon one-third of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers, and spread evenly. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cocoa. Repeat layering twice. Cover and refrigerate 5 hours before serving.