If anyone knows authentic Italian ingredients, it's the Queen in the Kitchen herself, Ale Gambini. In her soon to be released cookbook, No Ketchup on Spaghetti, this LA-based Italian chef, food writer, cooking instructor, and Italian food advocate teaches us how to shop, eat, and cook just like an Italian would in Italy.
Born and raised in Milan where food is considered "sacred," Ale spent most of her time as a child helping her Nonna Fernanda cook in the kitchen where she learned traditional Northern Italian dishes like Risotto Giallo alla Milanese, Osso Buco, and Cotoletta alla Milanese. Over time, Nonna Fernanda mentored Ale and taught her how to truly appreciate good food, which is why she became the inspiration for her first cookbook titled A Queen in the Kitchen.
When she moved to the United States over a decade ago, Ale realized there were a lot of misunderstandings about Italian cuisine and most of the time, she had a really hard time finding true Italian ingredients needed for her dishes to taste just like they would back home in Italy. For this reason, she started collaborating with institutions that aim to protect and promote foods that are “100% made in Italy.”
Her new cookbook coming out in December, No Ketchup on Spaghetti includes a comprehensive collection of easy-to-follow, triple-tested Italian recipes – with some of the same recipes she proudly teaches in her cooking classes, demos, and seminars. The book features tips and tricks of notable Italian chefs and food experts. It teaches readers just how healthy and unique authentic Italian food products are. Her book will be available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Ingram, and Depository. But in the meantime, you can check out her website aqueeninthekitchen.com, designed for food enthusiasts like you – where you can browse through her authentic Italian recipes and easy-to-follow video tutorials.
Here is a sneak peek at one of her recipes featured in her new cookbook “No Ketchup on Spaghetti” for a savory apple strudel from Trentino – the perfect fall dish to highlight the season's most celebrated and harvested fruit! Strudel is a classic dessert from Trentino Alto Adige in Northeastern Italy traditionally prepared with a simple shortcut pastry, apples, raisins, cinnamon, and pine nuts, but Ale gives this classic recipe a little twist, creating her very own “savory” version.
'Strudel Salato': Savory Strudel by Ale Gambini
This recipe calls for some beautiful Italian food products such as Val di Non Golden Delicious Apples, Speck Alto Adige, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. If you are unable to find Val di Non apples, you can use Golden Delicious and if Speck is not available, you can substitute with Prosciutto di Parma.
Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large Yukon Gold potato, boiled & cut into chunks
½ onion, chopped (any type is fine – white, yellow, or red)
2 Val di Non Golden Delicious apples, peeled & diced
2 thin slices of Speck Alto Adige
8 ounces Taleggio cheese (or Fontina cheese), diced
Parmigiano Reggiano, for sprinkling
Salt & pepper to taste
Method:
In a large skillet, sauté the onion in extra-virgin olive oil. Then add the potato chunks, apples, salt & pepper, and cook for a few minutes.
Roll out the puff pastry dough into a rectangle, and transfer the pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Arrange the Speck slices on top of the puff pastry. Spoon the potato mixture over the surface & roll up the strudel, sealing the edges well. Make slits on the surface of the rolled-up puff pastry with a paring knife, and brush the top with a beaten egg.
Bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden-brown.