Little Italy Recipes - from the old country

Ciopa pronounced CHYOH-pah (also 'cho-pe') is a hard crusted bread from northern Italy, particularly the Veneto region.  Recipe: Irma Vaccari Belotti, Little Italy Arkansas

• 3 cups warm water - add 2 pkgs yeast & 3 level teaspoons salt to this.
• Add enough flour so it will be thick enough to stir with fork.
• Place mixture in warm area and cover with plastic wrap and cloth until dough is double in size.
• Add enough flour to dough to knead.  Keep adding flour until no longer sticky & dough is smooth. (knead at least 15 minutes).
• Form into small loaves
• Let rise to double.
• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
• Bake approximately 15 minutes or until light brown.

Gnocchi pronounced nyoh-kee are small potato dumplings usually served with red sauce and cheese.  Recipe:  Irma Vaccari Belotti, Little Italy Arkansas

• Boil 2 medium potatoes
• Mash well
• Add flour, keep mashing until hard
• Place on floured table and work with hands.  Keep adding flour until dough gets smooth and firm
• Roll out (about 1" diameter) long pieces of dough
• Cut into 1" wide pieces.
• cook in boiling water about 15 or 20 minutes.

Risotto pronounced REE-so-toh is a rice dish cooked slowly in a broth until creamy.  Recipe:  Irma Vaccari Belotti, Little Italy Arkansas.

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 onion
• 1 stick celery
• Cook all in large stock pot until soft, about 15 minutes
• Add about 1/4 cabbage.  Let cook for about 1 hour on low heat
• Add 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Place 8 cans chicken broth in separate pan to heat
• Add about 3 cups chicken broth to stock pot.  Let cook about 1 to 2 hours
• Add 2 cups of Rice.
• Keep adding broth 1 cup at a time as mixture thickens.
• When cooked, add cheese, add a little salt.

Notes:  Don't cover it or it could get sticky.  Use asiago or parmesan cheese. Mrs. Belotti got her asiago from Chicago.