World Nutella Day - Banana Nutella Turnovers

Today is a great day. Hopefully the Giants will send the Patriots packing, but I digress.

It's WORLD NUTELLA DAY!

Two lovely ladies, American expats Sara Rosso at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle Fabio at Bleeding Espresso, host this wonderful international event.

I really need to make something different, but I love the banana/Nutella combo. Next year, I will do my best.

This year I was short on time. I always have puff pastry in the freezer. This recipe couldn't be easier or more delicious. Enjoy.


BANANA NUTELLA TURNOVERS

2 sheets puff pastry (if frozen, defrost in fridge overnight or on the counter for approximately 20
minutes)
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup - 1 cup Nutella (to taste)
1 egg
raw sugar for sprinkling or cinnamon sugar (the latter to be added after baking)

Preheat oven to 375/190.5
Rough mash the bananas with a fork
Mix in the Nutella

In a small bow, add one tablespoon of water to the egg, beat to create an egg wash

Roll out each pastry sheet. You might want to put some flour down to prevent sticking.

Cut into 4x4 (inches) squares

Fill in center (careful not to overfill)

Brush edges with egg wash

Fold in half creating a triangle

Press edges together and use the tines of a fork to seal

Put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Brush top with the egg wash and prick the top with the fork to create tiny holes

Sprinkle with raw sugar (optional)

Place in fridge to keep cool while you prepare the other turnovers

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown

Let cool, the filling will be VERY hot

Once cooled you could sprinkle confectioners/powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar on the turnovers.

Homemade Nutella Banana Pancakes

I cannot believe it's already the fifth anniversary of this glorious event!!

Thanks to the wonderful Michelle at Bleeding Espresso and Sara at MsAdventures in Italy, all across the world people will be enjoying World Nutella Day. Sara and Michelle will post a round of up all the yummy goodness on Monday, February 7th.

This year I decided to make Nutella Banana Pancakes. Before I moved to Rome I always used pancake mix. Then when I realized I could make them from scratch and not have to pay four euros for a tiny box of mix at Castroni, I never looked back.

It's so easy, no more preservatives and they taste better. Not sure why the heck I didn't make pancakes from scratch earlier.

Here's the recipe adapted from THE BIG BOOK OF BREAKFAST COOKBOOK.






Basic Pancake Recipe

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 large eggs
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 1 or 2 bananas smashed
* 1 or 2 tablespoons Nutella

DIRECTIONS
1. Crack eggs into small bowl and whisk until foamy.

2. Whisk in milk and melted butter.

3. Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and stir together.

4. Gradually add dry ingredients, whisking briefly after each addition, just until smooth. Do not overmix.

5. Stir in bananas, Nutella

6. Heat griddle. If using electric, aim for 375; if using stove, heat until water flicked on surface bounces but does not evaporate immediately.

7. Brush griddle with oil that has a high burning point; vegetable or canola will work well. (I use butter)

8. Using 1/4 cup measure for small pancakes, 1/3 cup measure for larger, scoop batter out of bowl.

9. From about 3” above griddle, pour batter in solid stream onto griddle.

10. If batter is a little thick, spread it out so that cake is roughly 1/4" tall

11. Watch cake closely; once edges are dry, and a few dry-edged bubbles have formed on top, check the cake’s underside. It should be roughly the color of honey.

12. Flip cake, cook until golden brown.

13. Serve immediately.

TIPS:

Don't overmix the batter
Use a nonstick skillet or griddle
Use a spatual with a nonstick coating.
Turn pancakes only once

Flashback Friday - Nutella celebration "Chocolate Rain"

In honor of tomorrow's WORLD NUTELLA DAY, I decided to post this video.

"Chocolate Rain", with over 62 millions hits, was an Internet sensation a few years ago. The first time I saw it, I thought WTF is this?

I love it. The lyrics are so freaking random.

Tay Zonday was interviewed on Late Night shows, newspapers etc. I wonder what he's up to now.

I will post a recipe tomorrow for World Nutella Day.

Have a great weekend.

French Nutella Toast in Celebration of World Nutella Day

Yes the wonderful is back.

World Nutella Day is back.

Declared as such by my friends Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso (and Shelley from At Home in Rome, in spirit) as a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.

Last year I walked around the Historic Center of Rome with a jar of Nutella looking crazy. This I made something super easy.

FRENCH NUTELLA TOAST

eggs
milk
dash of cinnamon
bread (day or two old) I used French bread.
nutella

Lightly beat the eggs, milk and cinnamon.

Put a layer of Nutella between two pieces of bread.

Coat the bread in the egg mix.

Fry in some butter over medium heat until lightly browned.

Sprinkle with powered sugar.

Eat with syrup or without.

NOTE: Don't use fresh bread as it will soak up too much of the egg mixture and will be soggy.


You can also add bananas or jam.

The glorious event is almost here....World Nutella Day!

Yes, it's that time of year again. On February 5th, Nutella lovers from all of the world will pay tribute to this wonderful Italian creation.

For more info on how to participate, check out Michelle's Bleeding Espresso blog or Sara's Ms Adventures in Italy blog.

Stumbling and Nutella Day Wrap Up.

Thanks to the advice of some other Italy based Bloggers, I’m Stumbling. I'm still figuring out the site but it’s a great way to find interesting websites on your favorite subjects.

Let me know if you’re on Stumble Upon and we’ll connect.

Here is my Stumble page.

Sara at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle at Bleeding Espresso have outdone themselves with the Nutella wrap up. Please check out their blogs for recipes and pics from Nutella lovers from all over the world.

Not a bad way to start the week!

Today is a most important holiday....World Nutella Day!

Yes bloggisti it is that time of year again. February 5th is World Nutella Day.

We know Nutella goes well with strawberries, bananas and things like biscotti. But did you know it also goes well with...


The Trevi Fountain.



How about the Pantheon?


Ancient Rome.


And one of my favorites, just a spoon.


Big thanks to Sara at Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle at Bleeding Espresso for planning this glorious event. On Monday there will be a round up.

A week from today is a very important holiday...World Nutella Day

If you are interested in participating in this glorious holiday please check out Sara at MsadventuresinItaly or Michelle at Bleeding Espresso.

Super Tuesday and World Nutella Day!

Phew there is a lot going on today.

If you are stateside and have a primary, please don't forget to vote.

If you love Nutella please take a look at Sara and Michelle's blogs for recipes and info on this world wide event.

Grazie Michelle and Sara for doing this year's round up.

Banana and Nutella Dessert Pizza

In honor of the upcoming World Nutella Day (this Tuesday, February 5th) here is my recipe.

I had dessert at a restaurant that used to be on 3rd Street near Orso. It was made with strawberries. When I went to the supermarket I bought bananas instead; the strawberries didn't look that great to me. This is what I came up with.

BANANA NUTELLA DESSERT PIZZA

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F)

Pizza dough for a medium (I bought mine at Trader Joes. Your local pizzeria might also sell dough)
2 ripe bananas
Nutella
Powdered sugar
Extra Virgin Olive oil

Split the dough in half and roll out both pieces.
Lightly brush olive oil on top of both. (You could use melted butter as well)
Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. I have a pizza stone but a cookie sheet will work. You might want to line it with parchment paper so the dough won't stick.

Meanwhile mash the bananas with a fork.

Let the pizza cool for a second. Spread a thin (or thick..ha) layer of Nutella on the pizza. Then the bananas.
Add the two layers and bake for 2-4 minutes until the pizza is light brown.

Let the pizza cool for another second and sprinkle with the powdered sugar.
Cut into wedges and enjoy.

Note: My layers weren't as flat as the restaurant's version. My version wasn't pretty but man, did it taste good.
Next time I go the farmer's market I will try this recipe with strawberries.

World Nutella Day 2008!

It is that time of year again. February 5th is a very important day. It's Super Tuesday (don't forget to vote) and the second anniversary of World Nutella Day.

Check out Ms. Adventures' blog and Bleeding Espresso's blog for more info about this glorious event.

Buon Nutella Day!!!

Yes everyone, a joyous day has arrived. My sister is the one who first introduced me to this fantastic treat. She spent the summer between her junior and senior year in high school at a school in Dijon, France and basically ate it everyday. She also spent alot of time drinking wine and kissing boys but I digress.

I heard the version sold in the U.S. is different (they try to make it more peanut butter-like), so I will be buying a jar to bring back to L.A.

Congrats to

shelley

sara

for organizing this new holiday. Tomorrow they will be posting a round up so check their sites for delicious recipes from all over the world.

Nutella recipe

Tomorrow is the official World Nutella day. I will post a link to the website tomorrow. It is going to be a crazy day at work tomorrow so I'm posting my choice today. Just looking at it makes my mouth water. Enjoy.


From the Food Network:

Banana Nutella Crepes
Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello
See this recipe on air Sunday Feb. 18 at 1:30 PM ET/PT.


For the crepes:
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch salt, preferable gray salt
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons hazelnuts, peeled, toasted, chopped

For the filling:
4 bananas
3 tablespoons butter
2 fresh bay leaves
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup tangerine juice
1 cup fresh raspberries, optional
1 small jar hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for serving


For the crepes:
In a non-reactive bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt. In a small sauce pot or saute pan over low heat melt the butter and cook it until it is light brown.

Add the egg and milk mix to the flour and salt and mix well so that there are no large clumps. Add the browned butter and mix to incorporate, being careful not to overwork batter. The batter should just coat the back of a spoon. If seems too thick, thin it out with a little more milk or water. Let the batter rest for 1 hour prior to cooking crepes.

For the filling:
Peel bananas, cut in half lengthwise and then cut 1/2-inch slices widthwise. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat melt the butter and cook until lightly browned, add the bay leaves to the hot butter and cook until it crackles slightly, add the lemon juice and sugar, stirring so that the sugar dissolves. Add the bananas and tangerine juice and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes so the flavors incorporate and the bananas are hot but not mushy. Add the raspberries, if using. Stir gently to combine. Set this mixture aside and let cool slightly.

After the crepe batter has rested for 1 hour, heat 1 (10-inch) nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 ounces of the crepe batter to the pan, remove pan from heat and tilt slightly to spread the batter over the entire pan. Return to heat and sprinkle the top with 1 teaspoon of the chopped hazelnuts. Cook for about 1 minute until the bottom side is lightly browned. With your fingertips and a spatula, carefully flip crepe and cook the second side for about 15 seconds. Set the cooked crepe on a baking sheet and repeat until you have used all of the batter. You should be able to produce 8 to 10 crepes.

Lay the crepes out on a flat surface. Spread each crepe with about 1 tablespoon of hazelnut spread. In one fourth of the crepe, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the banana mixture and fold the crepe over in half and in half again so that it has a triangular shape. Repeat this with all of the crepes.

For the sauce:
In a small saute pan over medium heat melt the butter and cook until lightly browned, add the lemon juice and brown sugar and stir to dissolve.

Serve the crepes on a plate with the sauce spooned over the top and sprinkled with the remaining chopped hazelnuts and confectioners' sugar.


Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: about 8 to 10 crepes
(the user rating on this one was 5 stars...the highest)