Mosaic Biscotti for Christmas (and a Video)

I made 225 biscotti yesterday for Christmas.   Yes, it took a long time, but it was so very worth it.   These Mosaic Biscotti are so beautiful and just look like Christmas to me.  They contain hazelnuts, chocolate, pistachios and cranberries (my addition).   These come from the Queen of Desserts,   Gina DePalma, the pastry chef at Babbo.   There is a reason Mario Batali hired Gina.    She's brilliant.    And if you aren't familiar with her, check out her book on desserts, Dolce Italiano.   This book is such a must have if you like baking.

Click to read more ...

Stuffed Zucchini

If you read this blog, you know that I love to stuff vegetables, as I did here and here and here. It's a way to get people to eat vegetables who otherwise wouldn't and it can also be a great way to make a special dish ahead of time.  You assemble the vegetables, refrigerate the dish and then pop it into the oven right before you need it.  I really love doing that because it frees me up to concentrate on the rest of the menu.

Click to read more ...

Pistachio Cookies and Vetri

Here is a great little cookie to make for the holidays. It only has 4 ingredients, it contains no flour and it's from one of the best Italian restaurants in the country.   What's not to like?   This delicious cookie is what Marc Vetri serves at Vetri, his famous Philadelphia restaurant.  Vetri was named one of the top 50 restaurants by Gourmet magazine, Mario Batali sings its praises and Frank Bruni says Vetri ranks up there with the best New York Italian restaurants.   On the menu is a quote by da Vinci:  "Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication."   If this is true, then this cookie is ultra sophisticated!

Click to read more ...