BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Italian Food Recipe Requests

Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Coming out of lurk mode for a change.

Getting back to Pita Piata AKA Pitta 'mpigliata, I did find a recipe in a book. It is not exactly a cookbook but it has quite a few recipes. The title is Arrivedrci: Recipes and Customs Every Italian Girl Takes from Home by Rosalyn Queen Alonso. ISBN 1884687628. The recipe is not listed in the index but it is there on page 25.

Another thing that occurs to me, although it might not be practical, would be to see if you can contact the daughters of some of your Nonna's friends or some of the Italian ladies that lived in the same town. Since the recipe is somewhat involved, it seems it was usually made for special occasions and it might be that your Nonna and her friends got together and made it as a group project. Just an idea and, as I say, perhaps not practical.

Back to lurk mode.

Virginia

That's a great idea. One of the great bonding times is cooking with friends and family.

Antiqua] [/font] Happy New Year everyone, I am new here, I just joined up the other day, my name is Cindy.

I am trying to find a recipe that my mother in law used to make around Easter time, its like a bread and filled with Ricotta cheese, and I believe she basted the top with butte, but I could be wrong, does anyone have this recipe.

My family is from Calabra, Spezzano della sila to be exact, just adding some family history here.
Anyway if anyone knows how to make this bread could you please reply back.
Thanks and happy new to all.
Ciao Cindy

Could it be Bocconotti?

They are pasta frolla (fried ricotta sweet pastries). You make a sweet pastry dough and split it in half. Then, put a sweet ricotta filling between the two rolled out halves. Cut into individual bites and bake off. It is a traditional Calabrian recipe, just not sure it's the one you are looking for.

BOCCANOTTI

Filling:
1 pound ricotta
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 whole eggs
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
2 tablespoons finely diced candied citron or orange peel

Combine everything in a bowl and mix well for the filling. Adjust sugar and cinnamon to your own taste.


Pastry dough:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup rendered lard
pinch powdered cinnamon
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon water

Combine all ingredients except for lard and mix well. Cut the shortening into the dough in portions until it has all been incorporated. Shape the dough into a ball, handling it as little as possible. Let rest for half an hour.

Divide the dough into two parts and roll one half out to about a 1/8 inch rectangle.

Spread filling in teaspoon-size portions down the length of the rolled out pastry dough. Moisten the pastry dough between each portion with beaten egg white.

Roll out the second pastry dough and cover the first. Press gently to seal each individual portion of filling.

Separate the individual bocconotti with a knife or pizza cutter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 25 minutes. Let them cool before eating so that hot filling does not burn!! Some roll them in powdered sugar and cinnamon mix. Some brush them with egg yolk or butter before baking.

Hope this helps...

Italian butter cookies. Those cookies in the bakery that are pipped in a swirl with a cherry on top or long and dipped in chocolate & sprinkles. that mysterious taste... what is it? not butter, not almond...something else!

Hi Catherine,

Sorry that is not it, its shaped in the form of a long bread, has no berries either, its sweet, and as I said has Riccota cheese flling, I wish I would of gotten the recipe from her before she passed, no one in the family has it.

I do have a cake recipe that tastes just like it, it has ricotta cheese in it also, with lemons shaved in the mix, oh its so very good.

Maybe someone else has the recipe, but thank you very much any Catharine for getting back to me, I will try your recipe.
Ciao and take care
Cindy

Cindy,

I have one recipe I have not used for several years because I just do not bake that much anymore. Hope this is what you are looking for. The recipe is for a bread-making machine, but, I would think you could use it for the regular oven baking.

Ricotta Bread

Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons half-and-half
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
1 whole egg, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast

Place half-and-half, ricotta cheese, butter, egg, sugar, salt, and bread flour into the bread machine except the yeast. Pour the yeast into the yeast compartment (or follow the specific directions for your bread machine). Bake the bread on the basic, non-rapid setting for best results.

This is an easy recipe and they don't last long

Italian Sugar Cookie Recipe With Sprinkles

Anyone out there have a good, tried and true TARTUFO recipe? Any and all suggestions greatly appreciated.