Italiano Fondue Food

ITALIAN FONDUE

Steps:

• Rub a heavy bottomed saucepan with garlic, add the wine and Grappa and heat over moderately high heat, being careful not to let boil. Reduce by 3/4. Have all ingredients measured and close by, as you will need to stir with one hand and add cheese with the other. When wine starts to show small, tiny bubbles, but is not yet boiling , gradually add cheese while stirring constantly. When you start to feel a slight resistance to the spoon, add heavy cream to desired consistency, and the Balsamic vinegar. Continue to cook until the fondue begins to thicken. Add to taste nutmeg, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Quickly transfer to a fondue pot.
• Classically, fondue is served with fresh fruit, nuts, and crusty French bread.
• For the Italian Fondue, it might be fun to serve an antipasto dish, breadsticks wrapped with proscuitto, sun-dried tomatoes, or even left over vegetables like asparagus and broccoli.

ITALIAN CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup of boiling water over sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl, and leave to soften for 10 minutes.
• Remove tomatoes from water and chop into small pieces.
• Rub inside of fondue pot with cut side of garlic.
• Heat wine in pot until it begins to boil.
• Toss cheese with flour.
• Add cheese slowly to pot, stirring the constantly.
• Add tomatoes and basil leaves to mixture and stir until smooth.
• Serve with dippers.

ITALIAN CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Toss the Fontina and Gruyere cheese with the cornstarch in a medium bowl to coat. Saute the pancetta in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate. Pour off any excess oil. Pour the wine into the same saucepan and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium. Whisk 1 handful of the cheese mixture into the wine until it is almost melted. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture in about 4 more batches. Continue whisking until the cheese is completely melted and the fondue bubbles, about 1 minute. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the pancetta. Season the fondue with pepper, to taste.
• Transfer the cheese mixture to a fondue pot. Sprinkle with the remaining pancetta and chives. Set the pot over a candle or a canned heat burner. Serve with focaccia and vegetables.

BEER AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE FONDUE

Steps:

• For the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Mix the oil, garlic, oregano and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Brush the oil mixture over the top of the baguette slices. Sprinkle lightly with pepper. Bake the baguette slices until lightly toasted but still slightly soft, 12 to 15 minutes.
• For the fondue: Mix together the beer and mustard in a small bowl. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the sausage, onions, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Break the sausage into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the beer mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Gradually add the Cheddar, fontina and Parmesan, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and smooth. Keep warm over low heat. If the fondue becomes too thick, gradually stir in extra beer, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Serve the fondue with the crostini.

ITALIAN FONDUE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add sage and cook until butter is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk in Alfredo sauce. Gradually add cheese, whisking until cheese melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer mixture to a fondue pot, chafing dish or ceramic bowl. Serve with bread and potatoes.

PIZZA 'FONDUE' -- FUNDIDO--

Steps:

• Cut bread into cubes or strips and broil until browned and toasty.
• Spray a casserole or pie pan with cooking spray.
• Pour pizza sauce into pan and add seasonings. Stir to combine.
• Add any 'pizza toppings' you like at this point. See *Note.
• Top with cheeses.
• Place dish on bottom rack to cook while bread is browning or microwave until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
• Place under broiler to brown cheese if desired.
• Dip toasted bread into pan just like fondue! Kids have a blast doing this! Or spoon sauce on plate and dip.
• Note: Add anything you like to the sauce: chorizo, hamburger, pepperoni, veggies etc.

ITALIAN FIVE CHEESE FONDUE

Steps:

• Bring broth to boil in large saucepan. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients.
• Add cheese mixture gradually to broth, cooking and stirring after each addition until cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended.
• Bring just to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; pour into fondue pot to serve.

ITALIANO FONDUE

Steps:

• Heat the Italian sauce and wine in a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil, stirring often. cook for 5 minutes or until the alcohol has evaporated.
• Pour the sauce into a fondue pot or slow cooker. Stir in the cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes for cheese to melt slightly.

ITALIAN FONDUE

Steps:

• Brown the sausage and drain.
• Stir in the spaghetti sauce.
• Gradually add cheeses until melted.
• Mix the wine and cornstarch, then add to the fondue until thickened.
• Serve with cut Italian bread or Vienna loaf.

ITALIAN FONDUE FOR CROCK POT

Steps:

• In crock pot combine beef, spaghetti sauce mix, tomato sauce and cheeses.
• Cook on low for 2 hours.
• Turn switch to high.
• Dissolve cornstarch in wine.
• Add to crock pot and cook for additional 15 minutes on high.
• Dip Italian bread chunks in fondue.