Italian Margarita Recipes

Steps:

• If desired, rub the rim of 2 margarita glasses with lime and roll in coarse sugar.
• Fill a shaker with ice and add ingredients (if you don't have a shaker, use a pitcher!).
• Add Amaretto, Triple Sec, Tequila, and sweet and sour and shake well.
• Pour into margarita glasses and garnish with lime.
• Optional "Floater": Leave a bit of room in the margarita glass and slowly pour 1/2 ounce of your favorite liqueur on top of the margarita.

Steps:

• Stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Set aside.
• Mix water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir half the flour mixture into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. Stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. When dough pulls together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, then place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C)) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, divide into 4 equal pieces, and form each into a ball.
• Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Stretch out and pat 1 dough ball to form a circle 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place dough on a lightly floured pizza peel. Top with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and spread to cover within an inch of the edge of the dough. Arrange 5 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomato sauce, then place 5 basil leaves on top. Drizzle pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Repeat for 3 remaining dough balls.
• Slide each pizza onto the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Bake until cheese is bubbly and the underside of the crust is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Steps:

• Dip the rims of 4 margarita glasses in amaretto, then into sugar; set aside. Pour the limeaid, tequila, amaretto, orange juice, and ice into the bowl of a blender. Puree until smooth, then pour into prepared glasses.

Steps:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the limoncello, tequila and chile paste, if using. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
• Dip the rim of a rocks glass in a small splash of limoncello on a plate. Coat the rim with salt. Fill the glass with ice. Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass. Top with the seltzer and serve.
• Zest just the yellow portion of the lemon peels with a rasp grater, avoiding any of the bitter white pith. You should have about 1/4 cup zest. Transfer the zest to a jar or other airtight container. Add the vodka, seal and shake to combine. Set aside in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks.
• Strain the infused vodka through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. You may need to line the sieve with a coffee filter to catch all of the zest. Discard the zest (or dehydrate it and add to the salt for rimming the Spicy Italian Margarita).
• If making your own simple syrup, combine the sugar with 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
• Combine 3/4 cup of the simple syrup (or more, if desired) with the infused vodka. Store in an airtight bottle in the freezer for up to 6 months. Makes about 3 cups.

Steps:

• Combine ingredients.
• Pour into glass over ice.

Steps:

• Moisten rim of 1 cocktail glass with lime wedge. If desired, sprinkle salt on a plate; dip rim in salt. Fill glass with ice. In an empty cocktail shaker, combine tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice and amaretto. Fill with ice; cover and shake until frost forms on the outside of the shaker, 15-20 seconds. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with lime wedge and, if desired, cherries.