May 18th is the 50th anniversary of the debut of Nutella hazelnut spread. Do something special for yourself and fellow Nutella lovers:

Sink your teeth into the Calzone di Nutella ($15), created by chef Chris D’Amico at New York restaurant Gemma in the Bowery Hotel.

A calzone is a filled savory pastry that originated in Naples. It is made of pizza dough and folded to resemble a half-moon.

Chef D’Amico created a dessert version of the calzone, dusted with powdered sugar and stuffed with a combination of rich Nutella spread and creamy ricotta cheese.

At the restaurant, which includes an outdoor café and great people watching, the dessert can be shared by two or more people.

Or, make it at home. Thanks to Chef Chris for the recipe!

Nutella calzones. Photo courtesy Gemma Restaurant | NYC.

NUTELLA CALZONES (CALZONE DI NUTELLA)

Ingredients

For The Dough

 
For The Filling (Per Calzone)

1. DISSOLVE the yeast and sugar in the water, using a large bowl, and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution.

2. MIX in 2-1/2 cups of the flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

3. PLACE the dough in a well-oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out.

4. COMBINE Nutella and ricotta cheese.

5. PREHEAT oven to 500°F. Stretch out the dough. Place the filling on 1/3 of the dough, leaving the other 2/3 to form the cover.

6. PRESS the calzone tightly closed and cut off any excess dough. Place in oven immediately. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish as desired.

NUTELLA HISTORY

Nutella hazelnut spread, in its earliest form, was created in the 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker and founder of the Ferrero company.

At the time, there was very little chocolate because cocoa was in short supply due to World War II rationing. To extend the chocolate supply, Mr. Ferrero used hazelnuts, which are plentiful in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy.

The spread is a combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a touch of cocoa. It is an all-natural product: no artificial colors or preservatives.

Nutella was first imported to the U.S. more 25 years ago by Ferrero U.S.A., Inc. Its popularity has grown steadily, and it is the number one selling branded hazelnut spread in America.
 
WHAT IS HIGH-GLUTEN FLOUR?
Different types of flour are milled for different baking purposes. Protein content and gluten content affect the elasticity of the dough.

High-gluten flour has a protein level of 14-15%. Higher protein flour, milled from hard wheat, makes firmer, stronger dough. It is used to make pizza crusts, calzones and bagels, among other items.

All-purpose flour, by contrast, is a blend of hard and soft wheats and has a protein content of 10% to 11%. It is ideal for hearty cookies, like chocolate chip and oatmeal, and some pastries.

Simple yet delicious, kids can help measure and stir ingredients. The recipe finishes in the oven while you’re brewing the coffee.

Prep time is five minutes, cook time is 40 minutes.

Thanks to Driscoll’s and recipe developer and blogger, Maria Lichty from Two Peas and Their Pod, for this delicious idea. Here are more berry recipes from Driscoll’s.
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRIES & CREAM BAKED OATMEAL

Ingredients For 6 Servings

For a treat, bake oatmeal like a casserole. Photo courtesy Driscoll’s.

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and set aside.

2. STIR together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

3. WHISK together heavy cream, egg, butter and vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour heavy cream mixture over oat mixture and stir until combined. Add 1 cup sliced strawberries.

4. POUR into prepared baking dish. Gently pound baking dish on the countertop to make sure cream moves through oats. Scatter remaining strawberries over top of the oatmeal.

5. BAKE 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and oat mixture has set. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
 
WHY IS OATMEAL SO GOOD FOR YOU?

Check out these oatmeal health benefits.

Porridge is a dish made by boiling ground, crushed, or chopped cereal grains in water or milk. Optional flavorings can be added, from spices to fruits or cheese.

Porridge is usually served hot in a bowl or dish. It may be sweetened with sugar or served as a savory dish (cheese grits is an example).

Any cereal grain can be turned into porridge. Buckwheat, oats, wheat (Cream of Wheat, Wheatena) and rice (Cream of Rice) are most popular in the U.S. Worldwide, barley, fonio, maize, millet, rice, rye, sorghum, triticale and quinoa are also made into porridge.

[1] Pasta for breakfast: gnocchi “home fries” (photo and recipe © Giovanni Rana.)

[2] Raw gnocchi (photo © iGourmet).

[3] Giovanni Rana’s potato gnocchi are just one of the company’s delicious fresh pastas and sauces (photo by Elvira Kalviste | © THE NIBBLE.

[4] Parmigiano Reggiano, ready to grate (photo © Whole Foods Market).

Here’s a fun idea for breakfast or brunch: “Gnocchi Home Fries,” made with potato gnocchi instead of sliced potatoes, in a yummy sage brown butter.

Sauté with pancetta, onions and rosemary.

Or, substitute sausage.

Either way, top with freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Finally, top your gnocchi “home fries” with a poached or fried egg.

This recipe is courtesy of Giovanni Rana, which used its delicious Gnocchi di Patate (potato gnocchi) Home Fries with Pancetta and Sage Brown Butter Fried Eggs for a romantic brunch.

Find more recipes on the website.
 
 
RECIPE: POTATO GNOCCHI HOME FRIES

Ingredients

For The “Home Fries”

 
For The Eggs

 
Preparation

1. SAUTÉ the pancetta or bacon over medium/low heat with extra virgin olive oil in a nonstick pan. When crispy, remove to a paper towel to drain.

2. ADD the onions and chopped rosemary and sauté over medium heat until the onions are tender and starting to brown; about 7-9 minutes. Remove to a bowl and wipe the pan clean.

3. HEAT 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the nonstick pan over high heat until almost smoking. Add the gnocchi and sauté, constantly tossing to prevent burning, until they are golden brown. Turn off the heat.

4. RETURN the onions and pancetta to the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and toss until the butter is melted. Empty the contents of the pan into a bowl. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss.

5. MELT 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the fresh sage leaves and swirl pan until the butter begins to brown. Turn off the heat off and allow the pan to cool slightly—about 1 minute.

6. ADD the eggs and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry the eggs on medium/low heat to the desired doneness, spooning some of the brown butter over top of them a few times. Cook for about 2-1/2 minutes for sunny side up.

7. PLATE the home fries and top with the fried eggs.