By Maria Filice • April 7, 2011 I wanted to thank everybody for supporting me during the first year of my book launch of Breaking Bread in L’Aquila. It was a very exciting evening at Rizzoli to see great friends and meet new friends!
It was an honor to have two chefs from Philadelphia come to the event: Joe Cicala and restaurnt owner Le Virtu, Francis Cratil Cretarola and Cathy Lee. Check it out www.levirtu.com, they prepare authentic foods from Abruzzo! Stay tuned for a joint book event!
I served my tasty amaretti cookies – fresh out of the oven! The recipe is in my book Breaking Bread in L’Aquila. Psssst…..there’s no flour in these cookies – great treat for those friends/family members who are gluten sensitive!
Amaretti Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups almonds, plus an additional 36
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoons almond extract
2 cups of confectioner’s sugar spread on 12 inches of wax paper (for rolling)
Vegetable spray for the baking sheet (though Mom sprinkles the baking sheet with flour)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Using a food processor on pulse, chop the 3 cups of almonds until they are finely ground.
Beat the eggs, sugar, and almond extract. Add the ground nuts and gently fold them together until you have a moist mixture that you can form into balls.
Lightly grease three baking sheets. Using a teaspoon (or your hand), scoop up the batter, form balls, and roll them in the confectioner’s sugar. Place them at least an inch apart on the greased baking sheet. Prior to baking, press one almond into each ball.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden in color and firm to the touch.
Let them cool before removing them from the pan.
These cookies are perfect for freezing (if they make it to the freezer)!
a presto,
maria x
By Maria Filice • April 1, 2011 Aid for Japan and Italy, By FLORENCE FABRICANT, The New York Times, Published: March 29, 2011
The recent earthquake in Japan may dominate the news, but many people have not forgotten the earthquake that hit L’Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy in 2009. Part of the price of a cookbook about the food of Abruzzo — “Breaking Bread in L’Aquila” by Maria Filice (Telos Press, 2010) — is being donated to restoration efforts in the devastated area. There will be a book signing, with food and wine, on April 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Rizzoli bookstore, 31 West 57th Street. Signed copies are also available by calling (800) 522-6657.
By Maria Filice • March 14, 2011 
Hi Everybody,
On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, Rizzoli Bookstore in NYC will be hosting a book event for Breaking Bread in L’Aquila. We hope to see you there!
This marks the Second Anniversary of the Earthquake devastation of L’Aquila – help support us!
“Her cookbook is full of elegant and rich traditional dishes from the L’Aquila region. . . . This wonderful book. . . will appeal to foodies and cooks looking for effortless Italian cooking.”
—Library Journal, February 15, 2010
“For the cook with the sophisticated side, and an affinity for family-style Italian meals, Breaking Bread in L’Aquila is the perfect book.”
—Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts, July 19, 2010
“The new George Clooney thriller currently in theaters, The American, is set in Italy’s Abruzzo region. With the movie, cookbook author and food stylist Maria Filice has found herself uniquely poised to talk about Abruzzo’s food.”
—Publishers Weekly, September 13, 2010
The net proceeds of this book will be donated to the restoration efforts of the earthquake of L’Aquila.
a presto,
Maria
By Maria Filice • February 5, 2011 
One of my favorite greens is Spinich. Not only is it healthy (Vitamin A, C, Calcium, Iron), it is very simple to prepare! I prepare spinich the same way I prepare other greens like rapini(broccoli rabe).
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. Blanche the spinich by dipping into the boiling water for approx. 5 minutes. Drain the spinich in a colander.
In a medium pan, medium heat, add a tablespoon (or two) of olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic (sliced), a pinch of red chili flakes (optional), sautee for a minute. Add the spinch and sautee for two minutes. Ready to serve. Quick and easy!
Add a drizzle of olive oil,salt and black pepper (to taste). The perfect side with your favorite meats or fish. I also like to squeeze a little fresh lemon to spinich too!
If you have leftovers, it’s perfect with eggs – be creative!
a presto,
maria !
By Maria Filice • February 4, 2011 
The sweet smell of roasted peppers always bring me back to place of childhood. Towards end of Summer, neighbors, family and friends would roast excess peppers from the garden for jarring or freezing. Yesterday, I roasted some red peppers. For a moment, it felt like a moment of Summer but didn’t feel like Summer with our East Coast snow storms! It brought some warmth in the kitchen with the smell of oven roasted peppers. Either over roast or pan grill is another great option too!
Roasted peppers are very simple to prepare.
Preheat your oven at 450 degrees F.
Place 6-8 red peppers in an oven pan. Lightly coat the peppers with a drizzle of olive oil. Lightly season with salt. Roast the peppers, turning, until the skins blister and turn black on all sides.
Remove them from the oven and tightly cover the pan with foil or seal them in a a papper back until they cool. The secret to pealing the peppers with ease is the steam. The peppers will peel away very easily!
Slice the peppers in 1-inch strips and place them in a bowl. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and add a clove of garlic for flavoring I have also added red chili flakes for a little heat (optional of course).
Roasted peppers are great as a side dish or the perfect lunch or light dinner. Serve with fresh crusty bread or toasted bread. I served with peccorino cheese, black cured olives and some white wine (Trebbiano left over from the other day). Molto buono!
Roasted peppers are also featured in my book Breaking Bread in L’Aquila.
a presto,
maria
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