Raspberry Chocolate Tart

Proverbio Italiano of the day:

"Non è tutto oro quello che luccica."

Meaning: Not all that glitters is gold. Whenever I bring up a certain situation or complain about something to my Mamma, she always says this proverb to me. It's been engrained in my mind ever since.  

With Valentine's Day around the corner, I found myself flipping through certain magazines and I found this amazing recipe at the very end. 

The original recipe called for raspberry jam to be used as well, but I found that chocolate and fresh raspberries was simpler and delicious enough on its own. I also didn't have any raspberry jam on hand... but it worked out without better anyway :). 

It's super sweet, so make sure you do share and don't attempt to eat it all in one sitting. ;) Buon Appetito!

 Ingredients 

15-20 Oreo or cream-filled sandwich cookies

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

8 oz. dark chocolate bar (chopped) or chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

fresh strawberries

powdered sugar

let's make it

1. Place cookies in a food processor until finely ground. 

Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in melted butter until well combined. 

2. Press mixture firmly into a 9 inch tart pan. Freeze crust for about 30 minutes. 

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove the crust from freezer and bake in oven until it begins to smell chocolaty (8-10 minutes).  

4. Let crust cool for another 30 minutes. 

5. Place chopped chocolate or chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer. 

6. Pour hot cream over chocolate in bowl, let it stand for 2 minutes and then begin to stir until it melts into a smooth mixture. 

7. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and salt. 

8. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 25-30 minutes. 

The tart sides should be set but the center still wobbly. 

9. Chill in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours. 

10. Decorate with fresh raspberries and powdered sugar.

Crocchette di Patate

Proverbio Italiano of the day:

"Come semini Così raccogli."

Meaning: You reap what you sow. My Mamma always uses this saying with us.

Whenever I have to think of side dishes and what I love most... potatoes come to mind. Ah yes potatoes--- french fries, potato chips, mashed potatoes, potato soup, baked potatoes... potatoes are just plain AWESOME. 

They taste amazing anyway you make them in my opinion, and go well as a side dish. 

Crochette di Patate are so easy to make, and only require a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand in the kitchen anyway. 

There are a variety of ingredients that can be added such as ham or ground beef, but this recipe is simply potatoes and mozzarella cheese. Buon Appetito!

 Ingredients 

4 to 5 potatoes 

2 eggs

parsley

1 tbsp. parmigiano cheese

salt to taste

seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

diced mozzarella cheese

vegetable oil to fry

let's make it

1. Place water in a pot, and add potatoes in. Potatoes must all be covered in water. 

2. Boil potatoes until soft.

3. Let potatoes cool, and peel off the skin.

4. Use a potato ricer and pass all potatoes through. 

5. In a side bowl, separate the eggs.

6. Mix egg yolks, parsley, parmigiano cheese, salt, and milk together with potatoes. 

7. Once mixture is ready, form potatoes into little dumplings. Then squish some diced mozzarella in pocket of it, and then close it up again.

8. Dip potato dumpling into egg white and then into breadcrumbs. Set on side.

9. Heat up oil in a pan, once hot enough fry a few crochettes at a time. Turn over once one side is golden brown .

10. Place fried potato crochettes on a piece of paper towel for excess oil to drip into.