Biscuit Tortoni / Tortoni

³/₄ c. chilled whipping cream*
3 tbsp. sugar
½ c. almond macaroon cookie crumbs
1 tsp. almond extract
2 tbsp. chopped maraschino cherries
¼ c. chopped toasted almonds (optional)

1. Line 6 muffin or custard cups with paper cupcake liners.
2. Beat whipping cream and sugar in a chilled bowl until stiff.
3. Set aside 2 tbsp. macaroon crumbs. Fold rest of crumbs, almond extract, cherries, and almonds into whipped cream.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared cups and sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 4 hours).

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 4 hours
Serves 6

*For a lighter version of Biscuit Tortoni, substitute 2½ to 3 c. softened low-fat or nonfat frozen yogurt for the whipping cream and sugar. Skip step 2 and simply fold the macaroon mixture into the frozen yogurt. Good yogurt flavors to try are vanilla, chocolate, or coffee.

First created in southern Italy, tortoni is a tasty chilled dessert that is ideal for hot weather.

Pizza

Cooks put almost anything on pizza. Pizza Margherita, a popular variety in Italy, was first made in 1889 for Queen Margherita and King Umberto I. It is topped with the colors of the Italian flag: fresh red tomatoes, green basil leaves, and creamy white mozzarella. See page 55 for a few toppings that you might like to try on your pizza. Be creative and add your own favorites to the list.

Pizza ingredients:
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 c. warm water
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
2½ c. all-purpose flour
pizza sauce (recipe follows)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
desired pizza toppings (suggestions follow)

1. Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Stir in salt and oil. Gradually stir in flour. Beat vigorously 20 strokes. Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
2. Put dough in a warm place, cover with a damp towel, and let rise until double in size (about 45 minutes).
3. Punch dough down with your fist to let out the air. Divide dough in half.
4. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or 2 10-inch pizza pans. With floured fingers, pat each half of the dough into a 10-inch circle.* Build up edges of pizzas with your fingers to keep sauce from running off.
5. Spread pizza sauce over dough. Sprinkle with grated cheese and your favorite toppings.
6. Bake at 425F for 20 to 25 minutes. Let pizzas stand at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Rising time: 30 to 45 minutes
Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

No-cook pizza sauce:
1 6-oz. can tomato paste 1 16-oz.can whole tomatoes, cut up with a spoon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
¼ c. minced onion
1 green pepper, cleaned out and minced (optional)

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with a fork.
2. Spoon sauce onto unbaked pizza crust. Add topping, if desired, and bake as directed in basic recipe above.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Enough for 2 pizzas

Pizza toppings:
anchovies; artichoke hearts; basil, oregano, or other herbs; broccoli; Canadian bacon; chicken; green or black olives; green or sweet red peppers ; mushrooms; onions; pepperoni; pineapple; roasted; garlic; spinach

Italian-Style Cauliflower / Cavolfiore Italiano

1 head fresh cauliflower*
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 small green pepper, cleaned out and sliced
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. milk
1 lb. mild pimento cheese, sliced

1. Cut core out of cauliflower and place its flower-shaped pieces in a large kettle of water. Bring water to a boil and cook cauliflower about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Melt butter in a skillet and sauté pepper slices and mushrooms.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle in flour a little at a time, stirring briskly.
5. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Return to heat and stir until mixture thickens.
6. Place cauliflower in a casserole dish. Lay cheese slices over cauliflower and pour creamed green pepper and mushrooms over the top. Bake 20 minutes.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 to 40 minutes
Serves 6

*When choosing fresh cauliflower, look for heads that are firm and very white, with crisp, green leaves. Avoid heads with brown spots or yellowish, wilted leaves. To store cauliflower for a couple of days, just cover the whole head with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.

Italian-Style Cauliflower / Cavolfiore Italiano

1 head fresh cauliflower*
4 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 small green pepper, cleaned out and sliced
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. milk
1 lb. mild pimento cheese, sliced

1. Cut core out of cauliflower and place its flower-shaped pieces in a large kettle of water. Bring water to a boil and cook cauliflower about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Melt butter in a skillet and sauté pepper slices and mushrooms.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle in flour a little at a time, stirring briskly.
5. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Return to heat and stir until mixture thickens.
6. Place cauliflower in a casserole dish. Lay cheese slices over cauliflower and pour creamed green pepper and mushrooms over the top. Bake 20 minutes.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 to 40 minutes
Serves 6

*When choosing fresh cauliflower, look for heads that are firm and very white, with crisp, green leaves. Avoid heads with brown spots or yellowish, wilted leaves. To store cauliflower for a couple of days, just cover the whole head with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.

Bisignano Spinach / Spinaci Bisignano

2 10-oz. packages frozen chopped spinach, cooked, or 1½ lbs. fresh spinach, cooked and finely chopped
1 16-oz. carton ricotta or cottage cheese*
1 c. bread crumbs or packaged herb stuffing
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ c. sliced fresh mushrooms or canned sliced mushrooms, drained
½ c. chopped green pepper
1 c. sour cream
½ c. spaghetti sauce, canned or homemade
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 tsp. basil
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large bowl, combine spinach, ricotta or cottage cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, mushrooms, and green pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Pour mixture into a buttered 9X13-inch baking dish and spread sour cream on top.
4. Pour on a layer of spaghetti sauce, using most, but not all, of sauce. Cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese slices.
5. Spread remaining spaghetti sauce over cheese slices. Sprinkle with basil and Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6 to 8

*To lower the fat content of Bisignano Spinach, use reduced-fat ricotta or cottage cheese,
reduced-fat sour cream, and only ½ lb. thinly sliced mozzarella.

Chicken Hunter’s Style / Pollo alla Cacciatore

1 2½- to 3-lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces*
¼ c. butter
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 c. finely chopped onion
½ green pepper, cleaned out and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 c. stewed tomatoes, undrained
½ c. tomato juice, canned chicken broth, or water
sliced mushrooms for garnish (optional)

1. In a large skillet, brown chicken in butter and oil over medium heat until pieces are evenly brown on all sides.
2. Add onion, green pepper, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir. Cook until onion is soft but not brown (about 5 minutes).
3. Add undrained tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add tomato juice, chicken broth, or water and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Remove chicken to serving dish and spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with mushroom slices, if desired.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 4

*Substituting eggplant for chicken turns this into a delicious vegetarian entre. Slice 2 medium eggplants lengthwise and lightly coat with olive oil. Place cut-side down on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until tender and easy to pierce with a fork. Remove, cut into bite-sized chunks, and cover with sauce.Pollo alla cacciatore has become melanzane alla cacciatore!

Serve pollo alla cacciatore with fresh Italian bread for a simple but tasty combination.

Italian-Style Pork Chops / Costolette di Maiale Italiano

4 pork chops, about 1 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
½ c. canned tomato sauce
1 green pepper, cleaned out and cut into thin strips
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced, or 1 3-oz. can mushroom pieces, drained
³/₄ tsp. oregano
¼ c. tomato juice
4 oz. hot Italian sausage (optional)

1. Trim excess fat from pork chops and wash chops under cold water.
2. Mix salt, pepper, and garlic in a bowl. Rub on pork chops.
3. Heat oil in large skillet and brown chops on both sides.
4. Add tomato sauce, green pepper, mushrooms, oregano, and tomato juice to the skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. (If you add sausage, brown it in a separate pan and drain. Add to the skillet during the last 10 minutes of cooking.)
5. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 4

Spicy sausage can add a bit of zip to Italian-style pork chops.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce / Spaghetti al Sugo

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 12-oz. can tomato paste
²/₃ c. water
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 3-oz. can mushroom pieces and liquid
½ tsp. nutmeg
¼ c. sugar
1 lb. lean ground beef*
½ c. tomato juice or water
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. spaghetti noodles, uncooked

1. Combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, onion, garlic, mushrooms with liquid, nutmeg, and sugar in a Dutch oven.
2. Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250°F.
3. Cover and cook sauce in the oven for 2 hours. (Sauce can be cooked on top of the stove if simmered very slowly.)
4. After 2 hours, add ground beef. (You can crumble it into the sauce or shape it into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter.) Cook 1 hour.
5. Add tomato juice or water and cheese and cook for 20 minutes.
6. While sauce is cooking, prepare spaghetti al dente, following directions on package. (Be careful not to overcook spaghetti. Overcooked spaghetti will probably be too soft and will stick together.)
7. Drain spaghetti and place on a deep platter. Cover with sauce and serve.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

*Ground beef can easily be omitted from spaghetti al sugo for a delicious vegetarian dish.

Risotto

Risotto is a creamy delicacy made with white rice. If you like to stir, you’ll like preparing this dish.

2 to 2½ 15-oz. cans chicken broth
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. minced onion
1½ c. white rice, uncooked*
²/₃ c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat broth until simmering.
2. In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 tbsp. butter with the oil. Sauté onion in butter and oil until golden.
3. Add rice and stir until well coated. Sauté rice briefly, then add ½ c. of the simmering broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until rice absorbs liquid. Then add another ½ c. broth. Continue cooking and stirring, adding another ½ c. broth each time rice dries out. (This will take about 30 minutes. When finished, rice will be creamy and tender, yet firm.)
4. When rice is almost done, add grated cheese and remaining butter. If needed, season with a little salt. Serve immediately. Pass more grated Parmesan cheese at the table.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 6

*Arborio rice, a polished short-grain Italian rice, is the best kind to use for risotto because of its creamy texture when cooked. Most Italian groceries and some supermarkets carry Arborio rice. But if you can’t find it, you can substitute another white, short-grain variety.

Straw and Hay / Paglia e Fieno

These creamy noodles originated in the city of Siena, which still has the look of the Middle Ages.The green noodles are the “hay,” and the white noodles are the “straw.” For a tasty variation, sauté 1 c.thinly sliced cooked ham with the peas and mushrooms and serve the finished dish as a main course.

4 oz. thin spinach noodles, uncooked
4 oz. fettucini noodles, uncooked
3 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
½ c. canned tiny peas, drained (optional)
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
³/₄ c. whipping cream
½ tsp. salt
pepper to taste
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook noodles in boiling salted water until they are al dente. Drain and toss with half the butter. Cover and set aside.
2. Melt remaining butter in a large saucepan. Sauté garlic until golden. Spoon out garlic and discard.
3. In the same butter, sauté peas and mushrooms over low heat for 5 minutes. At the same time, heat cream in a small pan. (Do not boil.)
4. Add noodles, cream, salt, and pepper to vegetables in the large saucepan. With the pan still over low heat, toss vigorously with a long handled spoon and fork.
5. Remove from heat and quickly stir in cheese. Serve on warm plates. Pass more grated Parmesan cheese at the table.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Colorful spinach noodles and fresh mushrooms make paglia e fieno (straw and hay) a treat for the eyes as well as the tongue.

Chinese Pasta / Pasta Cinese

As with any pasta dish, this one is quite filling and can be eaten as a meal in itself. For Pasta Cinese, you will make a sauce and meatballs that can be used in other dishes or served alone as a side dish.

Sauce ingredients:
1 12-oz. can tomato paste
3 c. water
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 large bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
2 or 3 Italian sausage links (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.* (If sauce becomes too thick and begins to stick to the sides of the pot, add a little water.)
2. Remove the lid about 15 minutes before serving so that the sauce can thicken. (Sauce should be heavy and smooth.)

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Makes 1 qt. of sauce

*While the sauce is simmering for 2 hours, you will have plenty of time to make
the meatballs and cook the pasta.

Meatball ingredients:
½ lb. lean ground beef
½ c. cracker or bread crumbs
1 egg
pinch of oregano
pinch of basil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
vegetable oil for frying

1. Put all ingredients except oil in a large bowl and mix well. (Many cooks use their hands for mixing meatballs.)
2. Roll about 1 tbsp. meat between the palms of your hands to make meatballs that are ³/₄ inch in diameter.
3. In a frying pan, brown meatballs in about ½ inch of oil. Drain. (Or place meatballs in a shallow pan and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.)

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes
Makes 25 to 30 small meatballs

Pasta ingredients:
8 oz. mostaccioli or rigatoni noodles, uncooked
1 qt. sauce
25 to 30 small meatballs
1 or 2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
½ c. grated mozzarella cheese
dash of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1. Boil noodles according to directions on package and drain.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. In a square 8 X 8-inch baking dish or cake pan, layer ingredients in the following order: a small amount of sauce on the bottom; then noodles, meatballs,and egg slices; then another layer of sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese. (Save some sauce to pour over each portion after baking.)
4. Sprinkle with Romano or Parmesan cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and heated through.
5. When done, remove Chinese Pasta from the oven and let cool slightly before cutting into squares for serving. Pour remaining sauce over each serving.

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

Minestrone

Minestrone is a rich, thick vegetable soup. It gets its name from the Latin word minestrare, which means “to serve” or “to dish up.”

1 16-oz. can kidney beans
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
1 small fresh zucchini, unpeeled and diced
2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
1 small onion, minced
1 16-oz. can whole tomatoes, cut up with a spoon
2½ c. water
¹/₃ c. elbow macaroni, uncooked
½ c. beef bouillon or tomato juice
salt to taste

1. Put beans in a large kettle and mash them slightly with a fork.
2. Add garlic, salt, pepper, oil, and parsley. Stir well.
3. Add water and all vegetables to the kettle.* Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Lower heat, cover the kettle, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. After 1 hour, add macaroni and beef bouillon or tomato juice. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2½ hours
Serves 6 to 8

*For an even more substantial soup, try adding 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced, 1 c. shredded cabbage, and/or 1 c. frozen green beans, thawed.

Full of veggies, minestrone is a flavorful soup that can be a satisfying low-fat meal in itself.

Minestrone

Minestrone is a rich, thick vegetable soup. It gets its name from the Latin word minestrare, which means “to serve” or “to dish up.”

1 16-oz. can kidney beans
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
1 small fresh zucchini, unpeeled and diced
2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
1 small onion, minced
1 16-oz. can whole tomatoes, cut up with a spoon
2½ c. water
¹/₃ c. elbow macaroni, uncooked
½ c. beef bouillon or tomato juice
salt to taste

1. Put beans in a large kettle and mash them slightly with a fork.
2. Add garlic, salt, pepper, oil, and parsley. Stir well.
3. Add water and all vegetables to the kettle.* Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Lower heat, cover the kettle, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. After 1 hour, add macaroni and beef bouillon or tomato juice. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2½ hours
Serves 6 to 8

*For an even more substantial soup, try adding 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced, 1 c. shredded cabbage, and/or 1 c. frozen green beans, thawed.

Full of veggies, minestrone is a flavorful soup that can be a satisfying low-fat meal in itself.

Italian Salad Dressing/ Condimento Italiano per Insalata

1 c. olive oil
¼ c. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. oregano
¹/₈ tsp. basil
1 clove garlic, crushed

1. Combine all ingredients in a tightly covered jar. Shake well until dressing is thoroughly mixed.
2. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Shake well before serving.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
Makes 1½ cups

Appetizer / Antipasto

Antipasto is an Italian word that comes from Latin. Ante means “before”and pasto means “pasta”or “dough.”Antipasto is, therefore, what diners eat before the pasta.*

several leaves of lettuce
½ head fresh greens, such as Boston or romaine lettuce, shredded
6 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 3-inch pieces
6 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces
6 salami slices
6 provolone or mozzarella cheese slices
2 tomatoes
2 hard-cooked eggs
6 canned artichoke hearts
black and green olives for garnish
radishes for garnish
1 bunch of scallions for garnish
¼ c. Italian salad dressing
(recipe follows)

1. Wash all fresh vegetables thoroughly and let dry.
2. Cover a large serving plate with leaf lettuce. Place shredded greens on top.
3. Divide carrot and celery sticks in half and place at each end of the plate.
4. In the center of the plate, lay alternate slices of salami and cheese.
5. Cut tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs into quarters. Arrange egg and tomato quarters and artichoke hearts around the edge of the plate.
6. Place olives, a few radishes, and some scallions wherever they fit in attractively. (Any other fresh raw vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces may be added.)
7. Dribble salad dressing over all.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves 6 to 8

*To serve a lighter antipasto, you may choose to add more vegetables and omit or reduce the amount of meat and cheese. Also try varying the ratios of ingredients in the dressing. For example, to make a refreshing, zingy dressing, use only ½ c. olive oil and increase the amount of lemon juice to ½ c.

Hung arian Scrambled Eggs / Tojásrántotta

Four strips of bacon or turkey bacon cut into small pieces can be substituted for the smoked sausage in these scrambled eggs.

8 eggs
½ tsp. salt
¼ lb. smoked sausage, cut into ¼-inch pieces*
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and cut into rings
½ tsp. paprika

1. In a medium bowl, beat eggs lightly. Stir in salt and set aside.
2. In a large frying pan, fry sausage over medium heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook, stirring, until onion is transparent.
3. Add egg mixture and cook, breaking up and stirring with a spoon, until eggs are set.
4. Sprinkle with paprika and serve hot.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

*Smoked sausage can easily be left out of Hungarian scrambled eggs for a quick vegetarian meal.
If you do not use the sausage, you will need to use 1 to 2 tbsp. of butter or
oil for cooking the onion and green pepper.

Paprika Cheese Spread / Ko o ´ ´rözött

Hungarians are very fond of this paprika-flavored spread and like to have it for breakfast, or as a midday snack with crackers or slices of rye bread. They often have it for dinner with fresh bread and a large bowl of mixed salad. Each family has its own recipe. Some versions are made with cottage cheese only (this makes the spread lighter and healthier), while others are made with liptauer cheese, a sharp cheese made from sheep’s milk.

1 12-oz. carton cottage cheese
1 8-oz. carton whipped cream cheese
¼ c. minced or grated onion
2 tbsp. regular sour cream
1 tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. caraway seeds
¼ tsp. dry mustard, or 1 tsp. plain mustard
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed (optional)
1 to 2 tbsp. minced fresh chives (optional)

1. Spoon the cottage cheese into a sieve. Place the sieve over a bowl with the same size rim. The liquid
2. (called whey) will start to drip out of the cheese. Let the whey drain out while preparing all the other
3. ingredients.
4. Stir together the cream cheese, onion, sour cream, paprika, caraway seeds, and mustard.
5. Using a wide spoon, press as much liquid as you can out of the cottage cheese.
6. Add cottage cheese to cream cheese mixture, mixing well.
7. Turn cheese spread into a bowl for serving. Cover bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so that the flavors blend. Sprinkle chives over cheese spread just before serving.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Refrigeration time: 1 hour
Makes 1½ c. spread

Hungarian Cold Plate / Hidegtál

In Hungary, cold plate is eaten at almost anytime of the day. It can be served at breakfast or supper or as an appetizer at a party or formal dinner. If you are in a hurry at breakfast time, set out a plate of peeled hard-cooked eggs and ham slices with slices of tomato and green pepper.

½ lb. smoked sausage
2 to 3 hard-cooked eggs*
2 medium red bell peppers
2 medium green bell peppers
4 medium tomatoes
1 medium cucumber
various cheeses
green onions
½ lb. salami, sliced
4 to 6 slices ham
pickles
radishes
parsley for garnish

1. Remove casing from sausage. Cut into ¹/₈ -in, pieces.
2. Peel shells from hard-cooked eggs. Cut eggs in half lengthwise.
3. Remove seeds and stems from red and green peppers. Cut peppers into strips.
4. Slice tomatoes.
5. Peel and slice cucumber.
6. Slice cheeses into thin slices.
7. Peel green onions. Trim roots and tips.
8. Arrange all ingredients attractively on a large plate. Tuck sprigs of parsley here and there on the plate. Serve with rolls and butter.

Preparation time: 20 to 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

*To hard-cook eggs, place them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.
Place over medium heat until boiling, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Drain water from saucepan and run cold water over eggs until they are cool.

New Year’s Bread / Vasilopeta

Greeks bake a coin inside this bread.At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the bread is sliced.According to tradition, the person who gets the slice with the coin will have good luck in the coming year.

1 package active dry yeast
¼ c. warm water
½ c. milk
¹/₃ c. butter
½ c. sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. grated orange peel*
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
½ tsp. salt
3 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp. water
blanched almonds

1. Sprinkle yeast into the warm water and stir just enough to blend. Let stand until dissolved.
2. In a small pot, heat milk and butter together until butter melts. Be careful not to let the mixture boil.
3. Empty mixture into a large bowl and add sugar. Cool to lukewarm. Add eggs one at a time and beat with a fork or whisk until smooth. Add yeast. Mix in orange peel, lemon peel, and salt.
4. Gradually add 3 c. of flour, beating on low with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.
5. Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and no longer sticky (about 5 to 10 minutes). If necessary, knead in additional flour.
6. Place dough in a large greased bowl and grease the top of the dough lightly with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about 1¼ hours).
7. Put risen dough on a lightly floured board and knead lightly. If you want, put a washed silver coin in the dough. Shape into a round cake about 9 inches in diameter.
8. Place the dough on a greased bak-ing sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled (about 40 minutes).
9. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
10. Brush egg yolk mixture evenly over the loaf. Arrange almonds on top forming the numerals of the coming year. Bake 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Preparation time: 1¼ hours
Cooking and rising time: 2³/₄ hours
Makes 1 large loaf

*Use a potato peeler or a zester to gently remove peel in small strips from the lemon and orange.
Chop or mince the peel with a knife for even smaller pieces.