Great Taste 8-7-13 it's Gisella Isidori

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• published: 10 Aug 2013
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On the stream (kruufm.com) at 7:00 pm CDT we welcome back Gisella Isidori. 79-years young, Gisella has several, new to most of us, but traditional Italian dishes planned that are sure to please our palates. Join us for a slice of true Italian life as we talk and cook with Gisella. It's a zucchini theme and on the menu we have-Zucchini and mint balls, Zucchini salad, and penne with zucchini. It was a very yummy evening so tune in Wednesday at 7:00 pm CDT or Friday at 7:00 am CDT.  GISELLA'S RECIPES-GREAT TASTE-WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014 Vegetarian zucchini and mint balls Ingredients for 25 small vegetarian balls sunflower oil 2 lbs zucchini 4 ounces ricotta 3 ounces parmigiano reggiano 2 eggs 4 leaves of fresh mint ( or if you prefer fresh Italian parsley) flour as needed bread crumbs as needed salt and pepper to taste Preparation: Clean the zucchini and slice in very thin slices lengthwise. A mandoline makes it easy. Put the slices in a colander and sprinkle with some salt. Let the zucchini sit for several hours, if possible, then squeeze all the water out, add the ricotta, the grated parmigiano, the minced mint and the egg. Process in a food processor until fairly smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste (taste first since there was salt on the zucchini to draw the water out). Prepare the mixture in small balls and roll it into the flour Dip the small zucchini balls into the egg and then into the bread crumbs In a heavy-bottomed pan add about 1/3 cup of sunflower oil. Heat the oil to 375 degrees and add the zucchini balls, but do no crowd the pan or the temperature will drop too much. Fry until lightly brown and continue to roll the balls until all areas are nicely colored. Place on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Alternatively, you can bake bake them for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Remember to oil the baking pan or cover it with parchment paper. Dust with parmigiano and serve. Insalata di zucchine alla scapece Serves: 6 - 8 Ingredients 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 5 large zucchini (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch rounds Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves 1/4 cup red wine vinegar Directions Heat 1/3 cup oil in a heavy, large frying pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the zucchini and fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried zucchini to a baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle half of the garlic, basil, and mint leaves over the zucchini. Drizzle the vinegar over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for few hours. Allow the vegetables to come to room temperature before serving. Transfer the scapece to a platter. Sprinkle the remainder of the basil, mint, and garlic over the salad and serve. PENNE WITH ZUCCHINI, MINT AND NUTS 6-8 servings 1 pound penne 4 medium zucchini sliced 3 ounces of mint leaves 2 cloves garlic-sliced 3 ounces of almonds or pine nuts, toasted, plus extra to serve 6 ounces-Pecorino cheese grated 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil salt to taste freshly ground black pepper Preparation Roughly chop the mint. Process garlic, 3 ounces of almonds or pine nuts and oil together in a food processor or blender until you have a smooth paste, then add the cheese and a splash of water and briefly pulse again Cook the penne as per the packet instructions in plenty of boiling salted water. While the pasta cooks, in a medium saucepan add a little oil and fry the zucchini for 5 to 10 minutes to soften and brown, season with sea salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Lift the penne out of the water using a slotted spoon or wire basket, and place it on top of the zucchini in the pan. Add enough of the pesto to coat the pasta completely without drowning it (I usually have about a quarter of the mixture left over) and toss. Let the pasta bubble over high heat for a minute, add a little extra cheese and a splash of olive oil, if necessary, and toss through. Check seasoning and sprinkle on extra pine nuts or almonds and serve. August 14 we're doing an array of Spanish dishes with Indian Hills Culinary students who recently returned from two weeks in Spain. It's an encore performance since last month's Spanish menu was so delicious. August 21-Think I might take a week off. We'll see. August 28-Matt Steigerwald of the Lincoln Cafe and Lincoln Wine Bar in Mount Vernon, IA will be back in the Club Room. He's bringing Laura Krouse of Abbe Hills Farm with him. Our topic is corn, but the dishes he'll create will be anything but corny. KRUU-FM 405 N. 2nd St. Fairfield, Iowa, 52556 Phone: 641.209.1082/3/4