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Carciofi Ripieni con Pinoli 
(Stuffed Artichokes with Pine Nuts)

This is an impressive appetizer or a great vegetable side dish.

4-5 artichokes
1 1/2 cups white bread (without crusts)
1 cup mint leaves, loosely packed 
1 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed 
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 
1/2 cup pine nuts 
1/4 cup pecorino romano (grated) 
3/4 cup olive oil 2 lemons
salt & pepper

Cut off the stems and pointed tops of the artichokes.
Pull off the bottom, outer rough leaves.  Snip the
spiny, pointed tips of the leaves so they are squared off.
Rub all cut surfaces with lemon to prevent discoloration.

Pull out the inner purple leaves, and using a grapefruit
spoon, or melon baller, scrape out the feathery chokes.
Let artichokes sit in a cold water bath with the juice
of one lemon, as you work on the others.

Break up the bread into small pieces, tear the leaves
of the herbs into small pieces, and put into a food processor.
Add the garlic, pine nuts, pour 1/2 cup olive oil on top,
and process until well blended into a crumb-like mixture.
The nuts will at best be chipped here and there.  That's okay.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the artichokes.  Fill the middle of each with the
filling, and place some filling between the leaves.
Place artichokes upright in a casserole dish.  Add enough
water to come one third the way up the artichokes.
Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over chokes, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover casserole and bake in 375 oven for
1 hour to 1 1/2 hours until tender
(check by sticking a knife in the center of one, if soft, they're done).

Serve hot or at room temperature.


Bucatini Saporiti con Olive e Pinoli
(Savory Pasta with Olives and Pine Nuts)

This dish is influenced by Sicilian cuisine,
which in part is influenced by
Arabic cuisine which in part is influenced by...

1 small onion, chopped finely 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1/2 cup chopped green olives 
1/4 cup feathery tips of fennel, chopped 
1 cup whole canned tomatoes, chopped 
1/4 cup pine nuts 
1/2 cup golden raisins 
12 anchovies, chopped 
pinch of saffron 
1 lb. bucatini (also called perciatelli, thick spaghetti with 
	a hole in the middle)


Soak raisins in hot water for ten minutes, then drain.
Steep saffron in a little hot water.  Saute onion in
the oil until onion is very soft.  Add olives, fennel,
anchovies, tomatoes, raisins and pine nuts.  Let cook fifteen
minutes over medium low heat.  
During last five minutes add saffron with its
water.  

Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large stock pot boil pasta in abundant salted
water until al dente. 
Drain pasta and add sauce in a large serving platter.

Serves 4.


Crostata di Ricotta con Pinoli
(Ricotta Pie with Pine Nuts)

A great dessert for a special occasion.

Pie shell:                           Filling:
2 cups flour                         2 cups ricotta
1 cup sugar                          1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (scant)   1/4 cup tiny 
1 cup butter                            chocolate chips ("mini morsels")
2 egg yolks                          1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon sherry or Marsala wine    1 egg
                                     1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
                                     a drop of orange extract
                                     pinch salt
                                     1/4 cup raspberry or blueberry jam
 
For the pie shell, blend dry ingredients.  Cut
softened butter into small pieces and add to dry
mixture. using two knifes cut up butter within dry
mixture to make a crumb-like consistency. (I
tried a potato masher and it worked well, but
be careful not to work dough too much.)
Add sherry or Marsala and egg yolks and mix with a fork.
Using hands press together to form dough.

Butter and flour a 911 cake pan.  Press crostata
dough into pan to form a layer on the bottom and
the sides.  Leave about a quarter of the dough aside for
later.  Lightly poke fork marks into the bottom and sides.

Spread a thin layer of the jam on the bottom of pie shell
(this keeps it fromgetting too soft from the
ricotta filling).

In a bowl, mix together ricotta, sugar,
chocolate chips, pine nuts, extracts,
egg, and a pinch of salt.  Blend well.

Pour filling into pie shell.  With remaining dough
make creative shapes for the
top.  I used a star cookie cutter and placed stars
on the top.
Create a design! Sprinkle some pine nuts on top.
(To make it more 6 festive, add some
colored sprinkles).

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 50 minutes.
When done, let cool before removing it from pan.
When cool, make sure sides are loosened from the pan,
then place a plate as wide as the pan over the opening.
With a quick flick of the wrists invert.
Lift off pan. Invert pie again onto a pretty plate to
serve!

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