Marisa's Italian Kitchen

The Secret Ingredient Is Always Love

Bread

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

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This Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia makes a truly satisfying lunch with a side salad. It can also be enjoyed as a delicious appetizer before your main meal.

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

I’ve been loving lately these wonderfully sweet cherry tomatoes made even more so by oven roasting them till they’re slightly charred and pop open. The roasted tomatoes ooze out the most sweetest concentrated juices with their wonderful aromas permeating the air.

There are so many ways to use these roasted jewels as some of my Instagram friends can attest! You can snack on them as they are with some crusty Italian bread or tossed with your favourite pasta.

Some suggested slow roasting the tomatoes, storing them in jars filled with oil and kept in the refrigerator up to a month.

Usually, I simply top the roasted cheery tomatoes over ciabatta bread which makes a crowd pleasing appetizer. As seen with this Roasted Cherry Tomato Ricotta Bruschetta.

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

I’ve decided to switch it up today by baking some fresh focaccia bread which is essentially a flatbread and not difficult to put together.

The flatbread with its soft, airy textures and crusty outer layers is then slathered with a a creamy herbed ricotta mixture. I must say its truly mouthwatering on its own but we’re going for the “swoon factor” here!

What better way to do so then topping the flatbread with some juicy oven roasted cherry tomatoes! Oozing out all their caramelized goodness and ready to be sopped up…yummy!

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

You can enjoy the flatbreads with a side salad and call it a meal. We especially love them sliced into wedges and served as appetizers.

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

You can also make and bake the flatbreads ahead and freeze them till ready to use. This way you’ll have a yummy flatbread to enjoy at a moments notice!

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

 

Buon Appetito!

Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia
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Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients

Focaccia Dough

  • 2 cups water
  • 4 + 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 to 5 cups all purpose flour
  • 8 grams quick rise instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

  • 800 grams cherry tomatoes
  • 6 cloves garlic smashed
  • 4 springs oregano fresh
  • sprinkle salt and ground black pepper to your taste
  • olive oil for drizzling

Herbed Ricotta

  • 600 grams ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons oregano fresh
  • 2 tablespoons thyme fresh
  • sprinkle of salt and pepper to your taste

Instructions

Focaccia Dough

  1. Heat 2 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of olive oil in the microwave until lukewarm.

  2. In a large bowl combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, salt, sugar and stir well.

  3. Stir the warm liquids into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, mixing well.

  4. Stir in another cup of flour until combined.

  5. Transfer the dough to a well floured work surface and knead for a few minutes while working in the remaining cup of flour a bit at a time, just until the dough is soft and smooth.

  6. Grease a large bowl with oil and place your pizza dough in the greased bowl while turning the dough over to grease all over.

  7. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and set aside to rise for 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

  8. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush lightly with olive oil

  9. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer to a floured work surface and divide into 4 equal portions.

  10. Transfer the portions to the prepared baking sheets, placing 2 on each sheet allowing enough space between the 2 portions.

  11. Using your hands, push the dough towards the edges of the baking sheet while shaping it roughly to a 6x8 rectangle.

  12. Cover with a clean dishcloth and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

  13. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  14. Uncover the focaccia dough and using your fingers press down to form indentations.

  15. Stir together 4 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic, oregano and brush over the surface of the focaccia.

  16. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

  1. Place the cherry tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet.

  2. Scatter with the smashed garlic, tuck in the sprigs of oregano, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil.

  3. Roast in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes to 35 minutes.

Herbed Ricotta

  1. Combine the ricotta, oregano, thyme wth salt and pepper in a bowl and stir well.

Assembling The Herbed Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Focaccia

  1. Slather the herbed ricotta mixture over the baked focaccia with equal portions.

  2. Equally top with the oven roasted tomatoes.

  3. Garnish with extra oregano, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

  4. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

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Soft Italian Anise Taralli have a wonderful aromatic scent from the speckled anise seeds. With crispy outer layers and soft spongy middles, these taralli make a perfect snack for just about anytime of the day.

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

Taralli are the quintessential snack of Italy and extremely popular throughout the country.

Every region in Italy has their own variation of the tarallo (singular). From sweet to savory, there’s bound to be one kind or another for every palate out there!

Some are the crisp and dry variety while others are the soft and chewier kind. There are also some recipes that call for yeast while others use baking powder as a leavening agent. Some are eggless and feature wine or even Grappa, not to mention the variety of spices that may be used. The more popular being fennel or even anise seeds.

One thing Italians will agree on is that they are excellent served alongside an antipasto platter with olives and cheeses or simply dunked in wine as an after dinner treat!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

My friend and colleague Maria, has graciously shared her taralli recipe with me. She and her mom have been making them for years!

Don’t be alarmed by the large amount of flour because this is a large batch recipe. That is if you make tiny taralli as I did! I believe I counted 90+ and that was after I ate half a dozen or so while counting the batch! No judgments here because I know you would do the same after one taste!

Maria makes very large taralli and therefore the recipe yields approximately 3 dozen for her. Whereas I prefer the smaller sized ones. They make cute little morsels that resemble mini bagel bites!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

However, there are no set rules here. You can make them any size your prefer.

A wonderful alternative would be to make both larger and smaller sizes, this way you get to please everyone!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

I happen to love the wonderfully sweet aromatic scent of anise seeds with its liquorice flavor!

If your not a fan of anise seeds you can definitely substitute fennel seeds or add some spicy heat with coarsely cracked black pepper.

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

As with any freshly baked bread these Soft Italian Anise Taralli are at their best the day they’re baked. Mostly because when they’re fresh out of the oven, they have this yummy crunchy and crispy outer layer with such soft bagel-like centers, making them simply addictive!

However, you can replicate the same taste and texture by popping them in the oven the next day for about 5 to 10 minutes. If you have any left that is!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

They also freeze wonderfully well, which is convenient when your’re craving some at a moments notice.

From freezer to oven they go for some fresh tasting taralli that are ready in mere minutes!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

Roll them as thick or thin as you like…!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

Shape them big or small…and watch them disappear in no time at all!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli

Many thanks to my friend Maria for sharing her Soft Italian Anise Taralli recipe with us!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Soft Italian Anise Taralli
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Soft Italian Anise Taralli

A big batch of Soft Italian Anise Taralli with a crunchy outer layer and a soft bagel like interior that are totally addictable.
Course Snack
Cuisine Italian
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 13 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons anise seeds
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup oil I used canola oil
  • 4 cups water

Instructions

  1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the hook attachment, add in the flour, sugar, anise seeds yeast and eggs.
  2. Heat the oil and water together just until warm. (I used the microwave for 2 minutes however take care that it's not too hot).
  3. With the motor running on low speed, add in the liquids then gradually increase the speed to medium.
  4. Knead until 3/4 of the flour has been incorporated then transfer the dough to a work surface and continue kneading by hand until you've worked in the remaining flour.
  5. This should take about 5 to 10 minutes of kneading time by hand until you've achieved a nice malleable dough with the remaining flour.
  6. Place the dough in a well greased large bowl and then cover with plastic wrap.
  7. Let the dough rest for 1 1/2 hours. It will increase in size and look light and puffy.
  8. When your ready to roll the taralli, divide the dough in half and and return one half to your greased bowl and keep covered so it does not dry out.
  9. You'll also want to keep the dough your working with covered for the same reason.
  10. There is really no set rule on how long or how thick to role the taralli, its a matter of preference.
  11. For small taralli roll out a golf ball sized piece of dough to an 18 inch rope and cut into 3 pieces
  12. Shape each piece into a ring and press the ends together to seal.
  13. For evenly round taralli, once you press the ends together insert your index and middle finger into the loop where the 2 ends meet and make a back and forth rolling motion for a well rounded shape.
  14. For big taralli cut a piece of dough the size of a golf ball and roll out to a half inch wide in diameter and about 12 to 14 inches long.
  15. Press the ends together in a loop while sealing the ends as you would the smaller taralli.
  16. Transfer the taralli on baking trays lined with a clean kitchen dish towel.
  17. When you've finished working with one half of the dough, bring a large pot of water to boil while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  18. Have 2 baking trays ready by your stove top and line one of them with a clean kitchen towel.
  19. Drop a few taralli into the boiling water and as soon as they resurface (this should take a few seconds) transfer them first to the unlined tray then to the tray lined with the clean kitchen towel to absorb any residual water.
  20. Transfer the boiled taralli onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about an inch apart.
  21. Bake in a preheated oven for about 24 minutes, turning to flip them over half way through the baking time. I baked them 12 minutes on each side)
  22. When ready the taralli will puff up somewhat and have a lovely golden brown appearance with crusty darker brown tops and bottoms.
  23. Repeat the whole process with the remaining dough.
  24. Small sized taralli yields approximately 8 dozen while bigger shaped taralli will yield about 3 dozen.
  25. Of course this will depend on the size you wish to make and again there are no set rules here.
  26. Simply have fun and enjoy!

 

Polenta Ricotta Bread

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I would definitely say that this Polenta Ricotta Bread recipe could very well be a beginner’s introduction into the art of bread making. Its a simple process of gathering a few staple ingredients and transforming them in a domestic kitchen that is easily attainable for any home baker.

Polenta Ricotta Bread

Although I religiously make pizza once a week and occasionally foccacia, I’ve never actually delved into the art of bread making. More notably, artisan bread. I love working with any type of dough and find that there’s something so comforting in using so little and so simple an ingredient such as flour mixed with liquids that I’m immediately transported into my zen moment.

I turned to my new cookbook, Simply Bread from The Australian Women’s Weekly for inspiration and came across these Polenta Ricotta Loaves. It sounded like perfect usage for that lonely tub of ricotta sitting in my fridge. A constant reminder that I bought way too much ricotta for my Easter baking marathon! Not to mention what great mileage my large bag of polenta received from making a few batches of my Lemon Cornmeal S Cookies and now these beautiful loaves of bread.

Polenta Ricotta Bread

The dough comes together effortlessly using a stand mixer and requires a gentle kneading before both the first rise and second rise with very minimal hands on time.

You’ll find the ricotta adds a certain lightness of flavor to the bread and the polenta lends a pleasant gritty texture which in turn tinges the dough to a lovely golden hue.

Polenta Ricotta Bread

Just before baking, the loaves are brushed with a little bit of water and sprinkled with extra polenta for a crispy outer layer.

Polenta Ricotta Bread

As with most breads these Polenta Ricotta loaves are best enjoyed the same day.

I loved these slices slathered with ricotta and a dollop of fig jam. Equally delicious is topping them with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey. These toppings are a perfect compliment to the delicate tasting loaves.

Polenta Ricotta Bread

You’ll want to make a double batch of these yummy loaves as I did.

Try slicing the breads, wrap well and freeze. Then enjoy at a moments notice when a craving hits!

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Polenta Ricotta Bread
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Polenta Ricotta Bread

Delicious and easy to make Polenta Ricotta Bread. With a lightness of flavor and a pleasant gritty texture from the cornmeal.
Course Bread
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 loaves
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 cup polenta I used fine cornmeal
  • 2/3 cup ricotta
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 8 grams dried yeast I used traditional active dry yeast
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water approximately
  • 2 tablespoons polenta extra for sprinkling on loaves (I used fine cornmeal)

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer and fitted with the hook attachment, add in the flour, polenta, ricotta, salt, sugar and yeast.
  2. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add in 1 cup of the warm water and mix just until combined.
  3. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of water only if needed to bring the dough together.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth.
  5. Place the dough in a large well greased bowl, turning to grease all over..
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
  7. Meanwhile line 2 baking trays with parchment paper, grease lightly and sprinkle with some of the extra cornmeal.
  8. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
  9. Knead the dough until smooth and divide in half.
  10. Shape each half into a round loaf and place each on individual prepared baking trays.
  11. Cover each loaf with a greased plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
  12. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  13. Remove the plastic wraps and brush the loves with a little bit of water and sprinkle with the extra cornmeal.
  14. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes.
  15. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown in color.
  16. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool a little and enjoy while still warm.

Recipe Notes

Recipe is adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly, Simply Bread cookbook.

 

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