Forget the heavy lasagnas and pizzas in the tourist traps of Rome or Florence. 

Valentina Cirasola is sharing her secrets all the way from Puglia, Italy.

In this week's Foodie Friday, Redwood City Patch's Monique Soltani goes in the kitchen with a local author and finds out why she's spilling the beans on one of Italy's classic cuisines. Then check out her recipe for Mortadella Frittata Rolls below.

You can purchase Valentina's cookbooks Come Mia Nonna–A Return to Simplicity and Sins Of A Queen – Italian Appetizers and Desserts online on Valentina's website or in person at these Redwood City locations:

La Biscotteria
2747 El Camino Real
Redwood City, CA 94061
650-366-4888
http://www.labiscotteria.com/

Woodside Deli
1453 Woodside Rd
Redwood City, CA 94061-3567
(650) 369-4235
www.woodsidedeli.net

From: Come Mia Nonna-A Return To Simplicity

By: Author Valentina Cirasola

Insalata di Avocado, Pompelmo e Scampi

(avocado, grapefruit and scampi salad)

Duration 20 min.

Ingredients for 4 people:

2 avocado

2 grapefruits

2 lb. of fresh shrimps or scampi

extra-virgin olive oil

pumpkin seeds

the juice of 1 lemon

2-3 cloves of garlic

spices: thyme, mint, parsley, chives, verbena

salt and black pepper to taste

De-vein the shrimps or the scampi, take the skin off, wash them well, reserve.

Finely chop all the spices included the garlic, place them in a mixing bowl and combine extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well to make a marinade. 

Place all the shrimps or the scampi in the marinade and let them rest for about 15-20 minutes.

Grill the shrimps in the way most convenient to you. Reserve.

In a salad bowl, build the flavors by building layers.

Place the avocado slices at the bottom, the grilled shrimps or scampi on top, the grapefruit slices on top of the shrimps, making sure to take only the pulp of the grapefruit and leave the white skin.

Drizzle olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Don’t toss the salad, the avocado slices are fragile, you want to keep them looking beautiful when you take the dish to the table.

Finish building the flavors with pumpkin seeds.

Accompany with a fresh Pugliese bread, or a baguette.

From: Sins Of A Queen

By: Author Valentina Cirasola

Mortadella Frittata Rolls

Duration: 40 min.

Ingredients for 4-6 people

8 eggs

1/3  cup of milk

grated Pecorino cheese

a hand full of fresh tarragon, or Italian parsley

a hand full of fresh chives

½ lb. of Mortadella¹ thinly cut

½ lb. of Mozzarella in water

vegetable oil as needed to fry

salt and black pepper to taste

toothpicks

Chop the tarragon very fine, or parsley whichever is available, grate Pecorino cheese and slice the mozzarella very thin. Reserve.

In a bowl beat the eggs, add all the ingredients at once and season with salt and black pepper to your liking. Egg mixture must not be runny, if it is add more cheese.

In a skillet warm up 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Spoon in the egg mixture, one spoon at the time to make pancakes like disks of about 4” diameter and it will take 2 spoons of mixture. If you want them bigger, spoon more egg mixture in the oil.

Continue to fry until the egg mixture has been exhausted. Add vegetable oil as needed while frying.

Stack them up in a plate with absorbent paper, let them cool.

On each frittata cake, place one thin slice of Mortadella and one thin slice of Mozzarella cheese. Roll it on itself, close the edge with 2 or 3 toothpicks to secure the ingredients inside.

Before serving, preheat oven at 375º F.

Bake only until the mozzarella is half way melted, about 10 minutes, or less.

Serve the small frittata rolls as appetizers, or as a second course with a colorful salad.

Note

1. Mortadella is the Italian version of Bologna. It comes with pistachio nuts. The domestic made in USA does not have pistachios. If Mortadella is not of your taste, substitute it with any ham of your liking.