Broxholm Road

Lemon & Poppy Seed Muffins

2012-02-12T10:56:00.043Z

The weather is awful this morning in London, it’s cold and gray. I woke up quite early, so early for a Sunday! So I decided to start my day in the best possible way: baking! I love muffins, as they are so simple to make, giving me enough time to take a lot of pictures, to process them and finally choose the ones that I like the most. Well, happy Sunday everyone, it is now time to have a nice cup of double espresso with one of my little muffins...

Ingredients (makes 10 muffins)

Plain flour, 225 g
Butter, unsalted, 100 g
Caster sugar, 125 g
Sunflower oil, 30 g
Milk, 90 g
Free-range eggs, 2
Poppy seeds, 3 tbs
Baking powder, 2 tsp
Bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 tsp
Lemon (the grated zest), 1
A pinch of salt

For the lemon glaze

Icing sugar, 100 g
Lemon juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

For the muffins
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a muffin tin with 10 paper cases. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and set aside. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together: sieved flour, caster sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs for about 10 minutes. Now add all the liquid ingredients: melt butter, sunflower oil and milk. Add the grated zest of a lemon and mix well. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl that contains the dry ingredients. Mix well and divide between the paper cases, filling each one to just over half way. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden. In doubt, test one muffin by inserting a clean toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins can be removed from the oven. Let cool completely.

For the lemon glaze
In a small bowl, squeeze the lemon and remove the seeds. Sieve the icing sugar. Gradually add the icing sugar to the lemon juice, mixing well. Continue adding sugar until you obtain a dense, smooth consistency.
Decoration
When completely cool, drizzle the muffins with the lemon glaze, and decorate with extra lemon zest if desired.

Muffins al limone e semi di papaveri

Ingredienti (per 10 muffins)

Farina OO, 225 g
Burro, 100 g
Zucchero, 125 g
Olio di semi di girasole, 30 g
Latte, 90 g
Uova, 2
Semi di papavero, 3 tbs
Lievito chimico per dolci, 2 tsp
Bicarbonato, 1/2 tsp
Scorza di un limone
Un pizzico di sale

Per la glassa al limone

Zucchero a velo 100 g
Il succo di un limone

Istruzioni
Pre-riscaldare il forno a 180ºC e disporre 10 pirottini in uno stampo da muffins. In un pentolino far sciogliere il burro a bassa temperatura e mettere da parte. In un recipiente abbastanza capiente versare tutti gli ingredienti secchi: la farina setacciata, lo zucchero, i semi di papavero, il lievito, il bicarbonato ed un pizzico di sale. In un altro recipiente sbattere le uova per una decina di minuti. Aggiungere il burro, l’olio di semi, il latte e la buccia grattugiata di un limone. Mescolare bene il tutto. Versare i liquidi nel recipiente degli ingredienti secchi e amalgamare bene. Con il composto ottenuto, riempire a metà (o poco più ) i pirottini ed infornare per 18-20 minuti. Nel caso siate insicuri sui tempi di cottura, inserire uno stecchino in uno dei muffins, e se questo esce asciutto, sono pronti. Togliere dal forno e lasciare raffreddare.

Preparare la glassa
Spremere il limone in una ciotolina. Setacciare lo zucchero a velo e iniziare ad aggiungerlo al succo di limone, mescolando. Aggiungere abbastanza zucchero fino a quando si raggiunge la consistenza desiderata (pittosto densa).
Decorazione
Con un cucchiaio versare la glassa sui muffins e decorare con altro limone grattuguato se si desidera.

Spicy mussels in tomato sauce

2012-02-09T19:13:00.011Z

OK, I have to confess that cleaning mussels is not one of my favourite activities, but if you think about how quickly they cook, and how tasty they are, that extra time that it takes to clean them is definitely worth it. It is important that you discard any broken mussels, and once cooked, the ones that do not open. I sometimes make them without tomato sauce (basically I follow the same recipe, without adding the chopped tomatoes), and serve them with plenty of chopped parsley and squeezed lemon juice. Delicious.

Ingredients

fresh mussels, scrubbed and beards removed, 1 kg
chopped tomatoes,1 can
extra virgin olive oil, 5 tbsp
garlic cloves, 3
crushed dried chillies, 1 tsp
dry white whine, half a glass
fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and the crushed chillies and fry until the garlic becomes lightly golden. Add the mussels, and toss for a couple of minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce, and let cook for about 8-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Serve in warm bowls or plates and garnish with the fresh parsley.

Deep fried meatballs in breadcrumbs

2012-02-08T09:27:00.019Z

I love meatballs, as they remind me of my childhood, my mum, my family and my country Italy. Meatballs are an ideal comfort food for the family, especially for children. They also make a very tasty and economical meal. I never buy the already made ones from the supermarket, as it is so easy to make them.

Ingredients

Minced beef, 500g
Sunflower oil, 200 ml
Natural breadcrumbs for coating, 150g
Breadcrumbs, just the soft inner side of the bread loaf, 100g
Milk, 150 ml
Free-range egg, 4
Grated parmesan cheese, 3 tbsp
Plain white flour, 5 tbsp
Chopped parsley, 1 tbsp
Salt
Pepper
Ground nutmeg, a pinch

Instructions

Soak the soft breadcrumbs in 150 ml of milk for about 5 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze the breadcrumbs to remove the milk in excess, and transfer into a large bowl. Now add all the other ingredients: the minced meat, 1 whole egg, the grated parmesan cheese, the chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until well blended. Form the meatballs, rolling them into tiny balls (the size of large walnut) and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining three eggs with a fork, for a minute or two. Season with a little salt and pepper and set aside. Coating the meatballs: lightly coat each meatball in flour, then dip in beaten egg, and finally in breadcrumbs. Heat the sunflower oil in a deep pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the oil, drain on kitchen paper. Serve with some lemon wedges and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.

Goat Cheese & Walnuts Truffles

2011-11-18T08:46:00.017Z

A great, elegant appetiser.. Quick to make and perfect for a pre-dinner drink , it will impress your guests.
You can coat the truffles with all sort of spices or nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachio, paprika... to name just a few).
In this recipe I have used sesame and poppy seeds, as I like the contrast of the colors.

Ingredients

Goat Cheese, 150g
Chopped walnuts, 80g
Salt and pepper

For the coating

Sesame and poppy seeds, or,
Chopped Walnuts
Chopped hazelnuts
Chopped pistachios
or anything you like!

Prepare the coating and set aside.
In a bowl whisk together the goat cheese, the walnuts, salt and pepper. Chill the mixture for about an hour. Take a small spoonful of the goat cheese mixture and shape it into truffles.
Roll the cheese balls in sesame and poppy seeds (or in the coating of your choice) and place on a serving plate.
Easy!
If you think the goat cheese is too strong, you can mix it with some plain soft cheese.

Strawberry & Cream Celebration Cake

2011-11-17T18:27:00.044Z

This, for me, is the best celebration cake ever. I love the combination of the light sponge, the pastry cream, the whipping cream and the strawberries (what else can you ask for??). Now that strawberries are not in season, you could also make it without them, it is still delicious, trust me. It’s also perfect for children, as the sponge is moisten with sugar and orange syrup. Otherwise if you prefer a nice kick, you can use a mixture of limoncello and water (in equal parts), even better!

Ingredients (for a 24cm round tin)

For the sponge

Eggs, 5 (at room temperature)
Caster sugar, 150g
Flour 00, 150g
Grated zest of a lemon
A pinch of salt

For the pastry cream

Whole Milk, 500ml
Eggs, 6 (medium, and at room temperature)
Caster sugar, 140g
Flour 00, 80g
A vanilla pod
A pinch of salt

For the syrup (to moisten the sponge)

Water, 150ml
Caster sugar, 100g
The juice of 2 oranges

For the decoration

Fresh strawberries, 500g
Fresh whipping cream, 600ml
Caster sugar

Another decoration idea..

Directions

Preparing the Pastry Cream
In a saucepan, bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod (and the seeds scraped out into the milk).
Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar.
Sift the plain flour, add it to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly.
Pour the milk onto the egg mix, whisking continuously.
Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula, bringing it to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken.
Remove from the heat, transfer the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place some clingfilm over the surface. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate and chill completely.

Making the sponge
Heat the oven to 180°C.
In a large bowl mix the eggs, the sugar, the grated lemon zest and a pinch of salt.
Beat the mixture until very soft and fluffy, for at least 20 minutes! I normally use a kitchen mixer, but an electric handheld one will do. This is key to the success of this recipe, and to obtain a very light sponge. Please remember that you are not using any raising agents, this is why you have to incorporate a lot of air into the mixture.
Sift the flour (I usually sift it twice).
Fold the flour in, very slowly and gently, a bit at a time, with upward movements.
Butter and flour the cake tin.
Transfer the mixture very gently into the tin, and bake for about 35/40 minutes.
Test the cake by inserting a clean toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
Let cool completely.

Preparing the syrup
In a saucepan bring the cold water and the sugar to a boil.
Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is clear, approximately 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Add the juice of 2 oranges, stir, filter and let cool completely.

Assembling the cake
Make sure that all of the ingredients are cold.
Wash the strawberries (leaving some aside for the final decoration), slice them and transfer to a bowl. Add a couple of table spoons of sugar and mix together. Leave aside.
Remove the crust of the sponge, cutting the borders, the top and the bottom. I do this as I like every bits of the cake to be soft and moisten. Don’t worry too much about the shape, as you are going to frost the cake with the whipping cream.
Slice the cake horizontally, in three slices/layers.
Place the first slice on the plate or cake board. Spoon a little bit of pastry cream on the board, to make sure the first layer will stick to the base.
Using a brush, moisten the first sponge layer with the syrup. Spoon half of the pastry cream onto the sponge, and spread it evenly with a flat spatula.
Spread half of the strawberries (the ones you have already sliced) evenly on the cake.
Repeat the operation with the second layer.
Place the third sponge layer on top, and brush with the syrup.
Transfer to the fridge to set for at least half an hour.
In the meantime, prepare the whipping cream.
Before whipping, transfer the cream in the freezer for about 20 minutes. The cream has to be very cold.
Using an electric handheld beater, or by hand, whip the cream until firm, but not too firm. When you see the cream turning a little bit yellow, stop beating immediately, otherwise it turns into butter!
With the help of a flat spatula, spread the cream onto the cake evenly.
Decorate with more cream (I used a Wilton M1 tip) and the strawberries that you have previously left aside.
Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Flavrbox! A new way to buy great food, made by people you'll love

2011-10-26T17:06:00.012+01:00

Flavrbox was created by a group of passionate food lovers with the aim of helping independent food producers earn a good living from doing what they love. Practically speaking, it's an online platform through which you can list and sell your products direct to customers (similar to a farmer's market if you like). Our long-term plan is to create a vibrant community, made up of the finest food makers the UK has to offer.

Flavrbox is launching in Beta in the Autumn 2011 and is offering an early-bird exclusive annual discount. For anyone signing up on the mailing list on http://www.flavrbox.com before the launch, Flavrbox will offer 10% discount on every single purchase for an entire year. Yes, 365 days. 4 seasons of local independent and tasty food.

No rubber. No added water. Only amazing products made by people you'll love.

Think your farmers' market meets Amazon, the convenience of buying online with the choice of all the UK's top farmers market' producers. Tasty sausages and jams.

Coming Soon!!.

www.flavrbox.com

Starting a new venture! www.notonlycakes.co.uk!!

2011-09-07T13:28:00.010+01:00

Yes! I am starting a new venture in catering, so there is a lot of excitement going on!
Here is my new website: www.notonlycakes.co.uk - this is only my personal one for cakes and desserts, but the main site will be ready soon, in cooperation with Isola Del Sole Sardinian Restaurant in Putney, London. Canapes, cakes, cupcakes, everything really! Wish me good luck! x
.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T17:46:00.012+01:00

Friends, food, wine, sun and relax... Happy Easter everyone.

Braided Sourdough Loaves with Poppy, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds (Pane a Treccia con Pasta Madre e Semi di Papavero, Zucca e Girasole)

2011-03-14T19:45:00.012Z

Hello! I have been away for quite a long time, but I am back. Life is hard sometimes, but what is important, is to keep up the fight.
Kneading bread surely helps to produce some good, positive energy, so let’s get started again.
This recipe is inspired by my previous one (Sourdough Bread, Autolyse Method), with the addition of poppy, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
This bread is truly delicious.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients (makes two braided loaves)

Strong white flour, 475g
Dark rye flour, 25g
Water, 360g
Ferment, 150g
Fresh yeast, 5g
Salt, 10g
Some fine semolina flour
Poppy, Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds
Egg white for brushing

Method

In a large bowl, mix the flours and the water. Cover with cling film and let it rest for about half an hour (not less than 20 minutes).

Add the yeast and the ferment and mix well.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 15 minutes. The mixture is quite sticky, and the best way to work it is to use Richard Bertinet technique (he stretches the dough and slaps it down very energetically, incorporating a lot of air inside). I recently came across this video that shows this technique http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdough. The video explains how to knead sweet dough, but the procedure is just the same.

Add the salt and work for further 2-3 minutes.

Form the dough into a ball, transfer to your mixing ball, cover with cling film and leave it to rest for an hour.

Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface, fold again, bringing the outside edges to the center a few times, rotating the dough and forming a ball.

Put back into your ball and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface and cut into 6 pieces (to make 2 braided loaves).

Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 250°C.

Roll the sections (3 at a time) into approx. 12-inch long ropes. Brush the ropes top surface with the egg white, and sprinkle one with poppy seeds, one with pumpkin seeds and the third one with sunflower seeds.

Braid the three sections as you would if you were braiding hair. Hold the outer sections. Pull the left section over to the center. Then hold the old center section with your left hand and pull it to the side. Finally, bring the right section over the center. Repeat the process, alternating sides, until the entire length of bread is braided.

Press each end of the braid together and secure under the loaf. Follow the same process for the second braided loaf.

Place the loaves on a backing sheet (sprinkled with semolina flower) to rise for about one hour and a half or until doubled in size.

Quickly open the oven door and mist with water spray. Slide the loaves inside and quickly mist again (mist the oven, not the bread).

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pane a treccia con pasta madre e semi di papavero, zucca e girasole

Ingredienti (per due trecce di media grandezza)

Farina bianca forte, 475g
Farina di segale integrale, 25g
Acqua, 360g
Lievito madre, 150g
Lievito fresco, 5g
Sale, 10g
Un po’ di farina di semola
Semi di papavero, zucca e girasole
Albume di un uovo per spennellare

Procedimento

In un recipiente capiente mescolare le farine con l’aqua. Coprire con della pellicola da cucina e lasciare riposare per almeno 20 minuti (massimo un’ora).

Aggiungere il lievito e la pasta madre e mescolare.

Rovesciare su un piano da lavoro leggermente infarinato e lavorare per 15 minuti. Il composto risultera’ piuttosto appiccicoso ed il miglior metodo (secondo me) per lavorarlo, e’ proprio quello di Richard Bertinet: http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdoug. Questo video riguarda una pasta dolce, tipo brioche, ma il procedimento e’ lo stesso.

Aggiungere il sale e lavorare per ulteriori 2-3 minuti.

Chiudere a palla e riporre nella ciotola leggermente infarinata. Coprire e lasciar riposare per un’ora.

Rovesciare il composto sulla superficie leggermente infarinata e piegare stendendo i lembi verso l’esterno, ripiegando verso l’interno e premendo al centro, fino a formare di nuovo una palla.

Riporre nel recipiente, coprire e lasciar riposare per 30 minuti. Rovesciare la pasta sulla superficie leggermente infarinata e dividere in 6 parti (per formare due trecce da tre). Coprire e lasciar riposare i pezzi per 15 minuti.

Pre-riscaldare il forno a 250°C.

Allungate i 6 pezzi di pasta (circa 30 cm. di lunghezza). Spennellare la superficie con l’albume, e cospargete con i semi.

Formare le due trecce (come se fossero trecce di capelli).

A questo punto adagiate le due trecce su una teglia senza bordo, cosparsa di semolino (oppure coperta da carta da forno). Coprire con un panno da cucina e lasciar lievitare per un’ora e mezza o fino a quando il volume sara’ duplicato.

Aprire velocemente il forno e spruzzare dell’acqua all’interno (una quindicina di spruzzi). Infornare le trecce e prima di chiudere la porta del forno spruzzare ancora un po’ di acqua (l’interno del forno, non le trecce).

Cuocere per 30/35 minuti, o fino a che la superficie non diventa ben dorata. Io ho cotto a 250°C per i primi 5 minuti, e ho continuato a 230°C fino a cottura ultimata.

Going on holiday..

2010-07-09T22:06:00.007+01:00

It’s finally time to go on holiday, and here is where I’m going to be until the end of the month (beautiful Sardinia...). Happy summer everyone, and see you when I’m back!

Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes?

2010-06-16T22:28:00.024+01:00

Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes? I still don’t know the difference, as I am still new to this world! What I know is that I enjoyed so much making cupcakes (or fairy cakes!) that I think I am becoming addicted to it! So this is only the first one of a long series, I guess :-). PS - Can someone please tell me if the ones I made (please see the picture) are cupcakes or fairy cakes? I read a number of articles on different forums, but I couldn’t get my head around it. I think these are smaller then cupcakes... who knows??

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Lemon Cupcakes, Adapted from a recipe by Rachel Allen

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes (makes 12)

Plain flour (sifted), 150g (I use the `00` type)
Unsalted good quality butter (softened), 125g
Caster sugar, 125g
2 eggs (beaten)
Pinch of salt
Finely grated zest of ½ large lemon
¼ tsp baking powder

For the Lemon Butter Icing

Unsalted butter (softened), 75g
Icing sugar (sifted), 124
Finely grated zest of ½ large lemon
1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Natural food coloring and edible sugar decorations (optional)

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with 12 paper cases. Cream the butter until soft (using a mixer or by hand). Gradually add the sugar and the grated lemon zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat the eggs, add them to the butter mixture and keep on mixing.
Finally add the sifted flour and the baking powder and continue mixing until smooth. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the preheated oven for 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool completely.
For the butter icing, cream the butter until soft. Gradually add the icing sugar, the lemon zest and the lemon juice (just a few drops in case you need to soften up the icing). Add a few drops of natural food coloring (optional).

Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream icing and decorate according to your own taste.

Cupcakes al Limone (Adattato da una ricetta di Rachel Allen)

Ingredienti

Per 12 Cupcakes

Farina OO (setacciata), 150g
Burro, 125g
Zucchero, 125g
2 uova
Un pizzico di sale
La scorza grattugiata di ½ limone grande
¼ cucchiaino di lievito in polvere per dolci

Per la copertura al limone

Burro, 75g
Zucchero a velo, 125
La scorza grattugiata di ½ limone grande
1-2 cucchiaini di succo di limone
Colorante per dolci naturale e decorazioni edibili (optional)

Tutti gli ingredienti devono essere a temperatura ambiente.

Procedimento

Preriscaldare il forno a 180ºC e preparare una teglia da cupcakes da 12 con i pirottini di carta.
In una ciotola sbattere il burro con un mestolo di legno (o potete usare uno sbattitore elettrico) fino a renderlo molto morbido e cremoso. Aggiungere gradualmente lo zucchero, continuando a sbattere. Aggiungere la uova una alla volta ed un pizzico di sale sempre continuando a sbattere. Aggiungere gradualmente la farina setacciata ed il lievito in polvere. Infine la scorza di limone grattugiata.
Dividere il composto nei 12 pirottini ed infornare per 7-10 minuti.
Lasciare raffreddare completamente.
Per la crema di burro al limone - In una ciotola sbattere il burro fino ad ottenere una consistenza molto leggera. Aggiungere gradualmente lo zucchero a velo continuando a sbattere. Aggiungere la scorza grattugiata di limone e qualche goccia di limone (nel caso la crema fosse troppo solida). Se desiderate aggiungere anche qualche goccia di colorante naturale.
Ricoprire le cupcakes e decorare a piacimento.
Consumare entro qualche ora ed evitare di refrigerare (il burro si indurirebbe).

Fresh Fruit Tart - Crostata alla Frutta Fresca

2010-06-13T09:55:00.017+01:00

A classic Fresh Fruit Tart, filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh seasonal fruit. I made this for my friend Deborah’s flat warming dinner party. A feast for the eyes and a well appreciated ‘home-made present’.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Shortcut Pastry

Plain flour, 200g (I use the `00` type)
Unsalted good quality butter, 100g - plus extra for greasing
Icing sugar, 50g
2 free-range egg yolks
Pinch of salt
Lemon zest
Approx 800g of Pastry Cream

Pastry Cream

Whole milk, 500g
Caster sugar, 140
A vanilla pod
Egg yolks, 6
Sieved Flour, 80g
Pinch af Salt

Other Ingredients

Fresh Fruit
Strawberry or Apricot Jam, about 2-3 tbsp
Clear Gelatin or Apricot Glaze
24cm Tart Tin

Directions

Preparing the Pastry Cream
In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod (and the seeds scraped out into the milk). Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour, add it to the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix, whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula, bringing it to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat, transfer the pastry cream into a clean bowl and place some clingfilm over the surface. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate and chill completely.

The Shortcut Pastry
On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required (not recommended). Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

Roll out the Pastry (approx 4mm thick). Now roll the pastry around your floured rolling pin and unroll it onto the top of your tart tin (already greased with some butter and sprinkled with flour), pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry.
Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork, cover and refrigerate for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line the pastry base with parchment paper and fill it with ceramic beans (or rice or beans), making sure the weight is evenly distributed. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the weights and bake for further 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown. Let cool completely before filling.

Assembling the Tart
Spread a thin layer of jam (strawberry or apricot, but you can use any jams you like) over the bottom and sides of the tart shell. Spread the Pastry Cream into the tart and level with a spatula.
Decorate the tart with your favourite fresh fruit.
Heat the apricot glaze (or gelatin) and glaze the fruit evenly. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Crostata di Frutta Fresca e Crema Pasticcera

Ingredienti

Pasta Frolla

Farina OO, 200g
Burro di buona qualita’, 100g
Zucchero a velo, 50g
2 tuorli d`uovo
Un pizzico di sale
La buccia grattugiata di un limone
Circa 800g di Crema Pasticcera

Crema Pasticcera

Latte intero, 500g
Zucchero 140
Una bacca di vaniglia
6 tuorli d’uovo
Farina, 80g
Un pizzico di sale

Altri Ingredienti

Frutta Fresca a piacimento
Marmellata di fragole o albicocche, circa 2 cucchiai
Gelatina o marmellata di albicocche per spennellare la frutta
Tortiera 24cm di diametro

Procedimento

Crema Pasticcera
Versare il latte in una pentola. Tagliare il baccello di vaniglia nel senso della lunghezza e rimuovere i semini. Versare il baccello ed i semini nel latte e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata ed un pizzichino di sale, ed amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Trasferire la crema in un contenitore pulito, coprire con della pellicola alimentare a contatto con la superficie per evitare la formazione della pellicina e far raffreddare completamente.

Pasta Frolla
Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli, un pizzico di sale e la buccia grattugiata del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario (non lo raccomando). Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per almeno 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.
Stendere la pasta frolla e disponetela in una tortiera di circa 24 cm (che avrete gia’ imburrato e spolverato con un po’ di farina.
Premere leggermente e rimuovere la pasta in eccesso.
Bucherellate il fondo con una forchetta, coprite e mettete di nuovo in frigo per mezz’ora.
Riscaldare il forno a 180 gradi C.
Rimuovere la pasta frolla dal frigo, coprire con della carta da forno (o di alluminio) e versarvi sopra dei pesi (io ho usato i fagioli di ceramica, ma si possono usare fagioli o riso). Mettere la crostata cosi' pronta in forno a circa 180 gradi per 15 minuti, dopodiche’ rimuovere la carta con i pesi e continuare la cottura per circa 5-10 minuti, o fino a quando la superficie non risulti leggermente dorata.>BR> Sfornare e farla raffreddare completamente.

Assemblaggio
Con l’aiuto di un pennello cospargere il fondo ed i bordi interni della pasta frolla (ormai completamente freddo) con della marmellata. Versarvi la crema pasticcera (fredda del tutto) e distribuitela uniformemente. Tagliare la frutta e sistemarla sulla torta a proprio piacimento.
Spennellare con della gelatina per dolci o con della marmellata di albicocche (riscaldata in un pentolino con poca acqua e poi passata al colino per rimuovere/sciogliere i grumi).
Refrigerare per alcune ore prima di consumarla.

Pizza Bianca Roman Style, Gabriele Bonci’s Recipe

2010-06-05T20:41:00.025+01:00

Gabriele Bonci is the owner (and chef) of a famous Roman Pizzeria al taglio (Pizzarium, Via della Meloria, 43, Rome). This is his recipe for Pizza Bianca (Roman style), which you can top with anything you like - I made it simple and topped it with fresh rosemary and rock salt.
I tried this recipe several times, and re-adapted it slightly, so the ingredients are the ones suggested by Gabriele Bonci, but the method is slightly different. Enjoy!

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Strong White Flour, 500g
Water, 400g
Dried Yeast, 3.5g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tbs
Salt, 10g
Some Semolina Flour

For the Topping:

Rock Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Fresh Rosemary

Method

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the salt.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 15 minutes (you can obviously use a kitchen mixer instead).
The mixture is quite fluid and sticky, so I used Richard Bertinet kneading technique (stretching the dough and slapping it down very energetically, incorporating a lot of air inside - by the way you can refer to this video http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdough, which explains how to knead sweet dough, but the same method can be applied to bread or pizza dough).
Add the salt and work for further 2-3 minutes.
Form the dough into a bowl, transfer to your mixing ball (oiled with some extra virgin olive oil), cover with cling film and leave to rest for an hour.
Brush some water onto your work surface (the water will prevent the dough - which is quite fluid - from sticking to the surface). Turn out the dough onto the work surface and fold it: take the right side, stretch it out and fold it onto the middle of the dough. Repeat for the left side:

Put back into your bowl, cover with cling film and transfer to the fridge (in the vegetable drawer) for 24 hours.
After 24 hours your dough is ready to be used:

In order to incorporate more air into the dough, and to achieve best results, I usually repeat the folding technique 2 or 3 times before baking, at hourly intervals.
Preheat the oven to 250°C.
Remove from the fridge and leave for at least 1 hour before continuing to the next steps. Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface and cut into pieces. Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle some fine semolina flour onto your baking trays and onto the work surface. Pat the dough out onto the work surface, paying attention not to press down the lovely air bubbles (the result of a long fermentation). Transfer the dough onto the baking trays.
Brush some extra virgin olive oil on to the top of the dough and sprinkle with rock salt and fresh rosemary.
Bake in a preheated oven to 250ºC for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden.
For more information, please see this video - sorry, it’s in Italian! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDO_m7S-Pr4.

Pizza Bianca Romana, Ricetta di Gabriele Bonci, leggermente adattata da me

Questa e’ la ricetta di Gabriele Bonci che io ho riadattato leggermente ai miei gusti. Il risultato e’ ottimo, l’alveolatura magnifica, sembra proprio di mangiare la pizza bianca romana - che a me, da buona emigrata, manca tantissimo!

Ingredienti

Farina Bianca Forte, 500g
Acqua, 400g
Lievito Secco (Disidratato), 3.5g
Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva, 2 tbs
Sale, 10g
Un po’ di Farina di Grano Duro

Per la copertura:

Sale grosso, Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva, Rosmarino Fresco

Procedimento

In un recipiente piuttosto capiente mescolare tutti gli ingredienti tranne il sale.
Rovesciare la pasta sul piano di lavoro e lavorare per almeno 15 minuti (io uso il metodo del mio ‘amatissimo’ Richard Bertinet, vedi video http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdough). Essendo la pasta molto fluida ed appiccicaticcia, il metodo Bertinet e’ ideale secondo me.
Ovviamente, se si ha a disposizione, si puo’ usare un’impastatrice.
Aggiungere il sale e lavorare per ulteriori 2-3 minuti.
Formare una palla - non sara’ facile, la pasta e’ molto appicicosa, ma non vi scoraggiate! - e trasferire nella ciotola che nel frattempo avrete unto con un po’ di olio di oliva. Coprire con della pellicola da cucina, e lasciar riposare per un’oretta.
Bagnare la superficie di lavoro (se di marmo o pietra) con un po’ d’acqua (l’acqua evitera’ che la pasta si attacchi, strano ma vero!). Rovesciarvi la pasta, e procedere alla piegatura - vedi foto:

Trasferire di nuovo la pasta nella ciotola, coprire e trasferire in frigo (nella parte piu’ bassa) per 24 ore - io la metto nel cestino delle verdure.
Dopo 24 ore la pasta sara’ leggerissima e piena di bolle:

Per poter incorporare piu’ aria possibile, io piego la pasta altre 2 o 3 volte (stesso metodo di cui sopra), prima della cottura. Ad esempio, se inforno la pizza alle 12, effetto 3 ulteriori pieghe: alle 9, alle 10 e alle 11.
Scaldare il forno a 250°C.
Rimuovere dal frigo e lasciare riposare la pasta per almeno un'ora prima di passare agli steps seguenti. Rovesciare la pasta sulla superficie di lavoro e tagliare in 2 o 3 pezzi, a seconda di quanto grandi o alte volete fare le focacce. Coprire con la pellicola e lasciare riposare per 15 minuti.
Adesso spolverate abbondantemente la superficie di lavoro con del semolino fine. Stendere la pizza facendo attenzione a non sgonfiare le bolle d’aria che si sono formate durante la lievitazione. Trasferire in una teglia che avrete gia’ spolverato con dell’altra semolina e finire di aggiustare la pasta.
Condire con olio d’oliva, sale grosso e rosmarino (o qualsiasi altra cosa preferiate) ed infornare. Cuocere per i primi 8 minuti nella parte piu’ bassa del forno - in quanto la piza necessita di una bella spinta verso l’alto - e a meta’ del forno per il tempo rimanente.
Ecco comunque il video del grande Gabriele: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDO_m7S-Pr4.
Ripeto, io ho apportato delle modifiche al procedimento - la tecnica di lavorazione e delle pieghe aggiuntive che secondo me fanno veramente la differenza!

Sourdough Bread (Autolyse Method) - Pane con Pasta Madre (Metodo Autolisi)

2010-05-21T19:50:00.022+01:00

OK, the picture is not great, and the lame slash has not been done perfectly... But.. This bread tasted absolutely great. The crust was nice and crunchy, and the taste amazing.
This is another recipe from ‘Crust - Bread to get your teeth into’ by Richard Bertin (yes, it’s official: I am now addicted to it :-)).
The principle behind the Autolyse Metod is that if you mix the flour and the water and you let it rest (from 20 minutes to an hour), this will accelerate the fermentation process.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Strong white flour, 475g
Dark rye flour, 25g
Water, 360g
Ferment, 150g
Fresh yeast, 5g
Salt, 10g
Some fine semolina flour

Method

In a large bowl, mix the flours and the water. Cover with cling film and let it rest for about half an hour (not less than 20 minutes).

Add the yeast and the ferment and mix well.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 15 minutes. The mixture is quite sticky, and the best way to work it is to use Richard Bertinet technique (he stretches the dough and slaps it down very energetically, incorporating a lot of air inside). I recently came across this video that shows this technique http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdough. The video explains how to knead sweet dough, but the procedure is just the same.

Add the salt and work for further 2-3 minutes.

Form the dough into a ball, transfer to your mixing ball, cover with cling film and leave it to rest for an hour.

Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface, fold again, bringing the outside edges to the center a few times, rotating the dough and forming a ball.

Put back into your ball and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

Turn out the dough onto your lightly floured work surface and cut into pieces (I made 7 baguettes, but you can choose any shapes you like). Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 250°C.

Shape the dough pieces into baguettes and place them on a floured couche. Cover and leave to prove for an hour and a half or until doubled in size.

Sprinkle some fine semolina onto a peel and place the baguettes on it (mine could accomodate 3 baguettes). Slash the top with a lame.

Quickly open the oven door and mist with water spray. Slide the baguettes inside and quickly mist again (mist the oven, not the baguettes).

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown (I baked in batches, at 250°C for the first 5 minutes, and then at 230°C for the remaining time).

Pane con pasta madre - Metodo Autolisi

Ingredienti

Farina bianca forte, 475g
Farina di segale integrale, 25g
Acqua, 360g
Lievito madre, 150g
Lievito fresco, 5g
Sale, 10g
Un po’ di farina di semola

Procedimento

In un recipiente capiente mescolare le farine con l’aqua. Coprire con della pellicola da cucina e lasciare riposare per almeno 20 minuti (massimo un’ora).

Aggiungere il lievito e la pasta madre e mescolare.

Rovesciare su un piano da lavoro leggermente infarinato e lavorare per 15 minuti. Il composto risultera’ piuttosto appiccicoso ed il miglior metodo (secondo me) per lavorarlo, e’ proprio quello di Richard Bertinet: http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/video/2008/03/bertinet_sweetdoug. Questo video riguarda una pasta dolce, tipo brioche, ma il procedimento e’ lo stesso.

Aggiungere il sale e lavorare per ulteriori 2-3 minuti.

Chiudere a palla e riporre nella ciotola leggermente infarinata. Coprire e lasciar riposare per un’ora.

Rovesciare il composto sulla superficie leggermente infarinata e piegare stendendo i lembi verso l’esterno, ripiegando verso l’interno e premendo al centro, fino a formare di nuovo una palla.

Riporre nel recipiente, coprire e lasciar riposare per 30 minuti. Rovesciare la pasta sulla superficie leggermente infarinata e dividere (io ho diviso e formato 7 baguettes, ma la scelta della forma e’ libera). Coprire e lasciar riposare i pezzi per 15 minuti.

Pre-riscaldare il forno a 250°C.

Piegare i pezzi di pasta a forma di baguette e riporli su di un canovaccio infarinato, facendo delle pieghe tra l’una e l’altra per evitare che si attacchino. Coprire con un panno da cucina e lasciar lievitare per un’ora e mezza o fino a quando il volume sara’ duplicato.

Spolverare una paletta da forno con della semola e riporre le baguettes sulla paletta. Con una lametta effettuare un taglio sulle baguettes.

Aprire velocemente il forno e spruzzare dell’acqua all’interno (una quindicina di spruzzi). Infornare le baguettes e prima di chiudere la porta del forno spruzzare ancora un po’ di acqua (l’interno del forno, non le baguettes).

Cuocere per 15-20 minuti, o fino a che la superficie non diventa ben dorata. Io ho cotto a 250°C per i primi 5 minuti, e ho continuato a 230°C fino a cottura ultimata.

Sourdough Starter- Lievito Naturale o Pasta Madre

2010-04-28T21:13:00.024+01:00

From the book ‘Crust - Bread to get your teeth into’ by Richard Bertinet .

What a fulfilling experience making your own sourdough!
A few months ago I got a book from a friend of mine. This book has now become a ‘Bread Bible’ for me. I am talking about ‘Crust’ by Richard Bertinet. I recommend this book to anyone who is new to bread making.
I have already tried a number of recipes from the book, and I have to say that I am simply in love with it. For this Sourdough recipe, I have strictly followed the instructions from Richard Bertinet. I now make bread at least twice a week, a bread that cannot be compared to the one I find in the bakery section of supermarkets and shops.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Method

Step 1

Spelt flour, 50g
Strong white flour, 150g
Organic honey, 20g
Warm water, 150g

Mix all the ingredients into a large bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place (around 30ºC) for around 36-48 hours.
After this time bubbles will begin to appear and the dough will have darkened a bit, meaning the fermentation process has started.

Step 2

The mixture from Step 1
Spelt flour, 30g
Strong white flour, 280g
Warm water, 150g

Mix all the ingredients together. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place (no less than 24ºC) for 24 hours.
After this time the mixture will have expanded a bit, smelling sweet and lightly fermented.

Step 3

200g of the mixture from Step 1
Strong white flour, 400g
Warm water, 200g

Mix all the ingredients together until you have a thick dough. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place (no less than 24ºC) for 12 hours.
After this time the mixture will have started to rise.

Step 4

As the dough is now starting to rise, you need to slow the fermentation down. Transfer the dough in the bottom of your fridge for 2 days. The ferment is ready when pulling back the skin it will be buttery coloured and full of bubbles underneath. The dough should also smell slightly acidic.

You should now have 800g of ferment. Take out 400g to make your bread and leave 400g in the bowl. Put the bowl back in the fridge and remember to refresh it every 2-3 days in order to keep it going.

Refreshing the ferment

Sourdough needs to be nourished in order to keep alive. If you don’t, it will start feeding off itself and will turn rotten.
To refresh the ferment you will need to weight it and mix it with an equal quantity of water and double the quantity of strong flour.
Cover with cling film and leave the ferment in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep on refreshing your ferment every 2-3 days.

Pasta o Lievito Madre

Ricetta tratta dal libro ‘Crust - Bread to get your teeth into’ by Richard Bertinet (http://www.thebertinetkitchen.com/) .

Step 1

Farina di farro, 50g
Farina bianca forte, 150g
Miele biologico, 20g
Acqua tiepida, 150g

Lavorare tutti gli ingredienti in una ciotola piuttosto ampia. Il composto risultera’ piuttosto morbido. Ricoprire la ciotola con della pellicola trasparente e lasciar riposare in luogo tiepido (ad una temperatura di circa 30ºC) per 36-48 ore.
Passato questo tempo il composto risutera’ un po’ scurito e sara’ caratterizzato dalla presenza di bolle e odore un po’ pungente. Cio’ significa che il processo di fermentazione e’ iniziato.

Step 2

Tutto il composto ottenuto seguendo lo Step 1
Farina di farro, 30g
Farina bianca forte, 280g
Acqua tiepida, 150g

Mescolare bene tutti gli ingredienti di cui sopra. Ricoprire la ciotola con della pellicola trasparente e lasciar riposare in luogo tiepido (ad una temperatura non inferiore a 24ºC) per 24 ore.
Passato questo tempo il composto’ avra’ un odore ancora piu’ pungente e risultera’ gia’ un po’ fermentato.

Step 3

200g del composto ottenuto seguendo lo Step 2
Farina bianca forte, 400g
Acqua tiepida, 200g

Mescolare bene tutti gli ingredienti di cui sopra fino ad ottenere un composto piuttosto compatto. Ricoprire la ciotola con della pellicola trasparente e lasciar riposare in luogo tiepido (ad una temperatura non inferiore a 24ºC) per 12 ore.

Step 4

Ora il composto iniziera’ a crescere. E’ necessario a questo punto rallentare un po’ la fermentazione. Trasferire quindi il lievito madre nella parte piu’ bassa del frigorifero per 2 giorni. Il lievito e’ pronto quando, alzando la pellicina in superficie, si notera’ un colore simile a quello del burro e presentera’ delle bolle. La pasta a questo punto avra’ un odore ancora piu’ pungente, acidulo.

Se avrete seguito il procedimento di cui sopra, a questo punto avrete 800 grammi di pasta madre. Usatene 400 grammi per fare il pane, e lasciate i rimanenti 400 grammi nella ciotola. Ricoprite e riponete in frigo (sempre nella parte piu’ bassa). La pasta madre andra’ rinfrescata ogni 2-3 giorni.

Il rinfresco

La pasta madre e’, di fatto, viva, ed ha quindi bisogno di essere nutrita e mantenuta in vita. Se non lo farete, ‘mangera’ se stessa’, andra’ a male, ed infine morira’.

Il rinfresco, che va eseguito ogni 2-3 giorni e va effettuato pesando la pasta madre, aggiungendo la stessa quantita’ di acqua ed il doppio di farina forte.

Si lavora qualche minuto, si copre con la pellicola trasparente e si conserva nel frigo fino al rinfresco successivo.

Pistachio & Almond Biscuits

2010-04-07T13:56:00.023+01:00

A quick and simple recipe from the book 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & other tempting treats by Susanna Tee. Simple but very yummy!

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Butter, 225g softened
Sugar, 140g
Egg yolk, 1 lightly beaten
Plain flour, 225g
Pinch of salt
Ground almonds, 55g
Unsalted pistachio nuts, 55g finely chopped

Method

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and continue beating. Sift the flour and the salt into the mixture, add the ground almonds and stir until combined. Divide the dough in two, wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about 30-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180º C.
Unwrap the dough and roll it out between two sheets of baking paper to about 3 mm thick. Sprinkle half the pistachio nuts over each piece of dough and roll lightly with the rolling pin. Cut the biscuits with a pastry cutter, place on the baking sheets and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool down before serving.

Biscotti Mandorle e Pistacchio

Ingredienti

Burro, 225g ammorbidito
Zucchero, 140g
1 Tuorlo d’uovo, sbattuto leggermente
Farina, 225g
Un pizzico di sale
Mandorle spellate e macinate finemente, 55g
Granella di pistacchio (non salati), 55g

Procedimento

Con l’aiuto di uno sbattitore elettrico montare il burro e lo zucchero fino ad ottenere un composto leggero e spumoso (circa 10 minuti). Setacciare la farina e il sale nel burro, aggiungere le mandorle macinate e lavorare fino a che tutti gli ingredienti non siano ben amalgamati. Dividere il composto in due, avvolgere con della pellicola alimentare e trasferire in frigo per 30-60 minuti.
Preriscaldare il forno a 180º C.
Togliere il composto dal frigo, rimuovere la pellicola e stendere con un mattarello tra due fogli di carta da forno fino ad ottenere uno spessore di circa 3mm. Cospargere la granella di pistacchio sulla pasta stesa e premere delicatamente con il mattarello. Tagliare i biscotti con gli stampini che preferite (o un bicchiere) e cuocere per circa 10-12 minuti (su una teglia imburrata o ricoperta di carta da forno). Fare la stessa cosa con l’altra meta’ della pasta. Lasciare raffreddare prima di servire. Il giorno dopo sono ancora piu’ buoni.

.

Apricot Danish Pastries by Luca Montersino - Danesi alle Albicocche di Luca Montersino

2010-03-22T14:20:00.005Z

I got this recipe from Luca Montersino, one of the most popular Italian pastry chefs. For this recipe he doesn’t use croissant dough, but brioche dough. The result was great and I really enjoyed making these pastries. I used a kitchen mixer, which is the best option in my opinion, but if you don’t have one you can of course knead the dough by hands. You can also watch Luca Montersino’s videos here: Danish Montersino Part 1, Danish Montersino Part 2, Danish Montersino Part 3.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Fresh whole milk, 160g
Whole eggs, 360g
Sugar, 140g
Butter, 360g
Fresh yeast, 30g
Honey, 30g
Rum, 15g
Salt, 15g
Grated zest of a lemon
Italian Flour OO (or pastry flour), 1kg (but I used 500g of OO flour and 500g of strong flour)
Preserved or canned apricot halves,150g
Apricot glaze
Vanilla, 1 pod
Pastry Cream (Whole milk, 250g, Caster sugar, 70, Half vanilla pod, Egg yolks, 2, Sieved Flour, 40g)

Method

For the Pasty Cream:

In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod (seeds scraped out into the milk). Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some cling film over the surface and chill.

For the Danish Pastries:

In a kitchen mixer, combine butter, sugar, lemon zest, rum and vanilla seeds (scraped from the pod) and beat until very fluffy (for about 10 minutes at high speed).
Transfer the mixture to a different bowl and set aside.
Put the flour in the kitchen mixer, break the yeast with your hands and add it to the flour. Using a dough hook, start working the flour and the yeast, adding the eggs one at a time (speed 2).
After about 7-8 minutes of mixing, the dough should come together and wrap itself around the dough hook.
Once all eggs are incorporated, start adding the milk gradually. Keep mixing for about 10 minutes.
At this point start adding the butter mixture gradually, allowing the butter to be incorporated nearly completely after each addition. Finally add the salt and mix for additional 5 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a rectangle about 2-3 cm thick. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 30mm thick.
Using a pastry cutter, cut the dough into regular squares (about 8x8cm). Now make a diagonal cut from the corners of each square:

Fold over every other point to the center, overlapping them slightly and pressing gently.

With a fork, prick the center of each pinwheel.
Drop a good spoonful of pastry cream in the centre of each danish and top with a preserved apricot half.

Cover the pastries with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for about 1 and ½ hours (or until doubled in size).
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C and bake for about 18 minutes.
Once cooked, the apricot halves will look a bit dry, but don’t worry, just brush the pastries with apricot glaze and they will look shiny and delicious again.

Danesi alle Albicocche di Luca Montersino

Potete trovare la ricetta passo per passo qui: Danesi Montersino Parte 1, Danesi Montersino Parte 2, Danesi Montersino Parte 3.

Focaccia Barese

2010-03-08T19:14:00.017Z

A great recipe from the Apulian chef Palma D’Onofrio.
The mushed potatoes give this focaccia a nice, sweet flavour.
Focaccia is present in many variants in Italy itself. This one is from Bari. Enjoy!

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post
Ingredients

Flour 00, 200g
Fine Semolina Flour, 100g
Potatoes, 250g (Boiled and mashed & weighted after cooking)
Fresh yeast, 13g
Lukewarm water, 250g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 50g
Pinch of Sugar
Cherry Tomatoes, approx. 20
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Rock Salt

Method

Dissolve the yeast in some lukewarm water (taken from the 250g) and whisk thoroughly. Pour the yeast mixture into a bowl, add 00 flour, semolina flour, mashed potatoes (still warm), a pinch of sugar and olive oil.

Start mixing the ingredients together, and work the dough for 10-15 minutes.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for an hour.

Oil a round baking tin with olive oil and pat the dough out onto the tin. Using your fingers make some holes on the dough surface, and insert the cherry tomatoes - cut in halves - nicely into the holes.

Brush with a mixture of warm water and olive oil and sprinkle with rock salt.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until it doubled in size.

Bake the focaccia in a preheated oven to 220ºC for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Focaccia Barese di Palma D’Onofrio

Ingredienti

Farina 00, 200g
Farina di Semola, 100g
Patate lesse, 250g (pesate dopo cotte)
Lievito di birra, 13g
Acqua tiepida, 250g
Olio extra vergine di oliva, 50g
1 pizzico di zucchero
Pomodorini, circa 20
Olio extravergine di oliva per condire
Sale grosso

Procedimento

Bollire e schiacciare le patate.

In una ciotola amalgamare: le farine, le patatate schiacciate ancora tiepide, lo zucchero, l’olio ed il lievito sciolto in un po’ d’acqua tiepida.

Lavorare l’impasto, riporlo nella ciotola e coprire con della pellicola alimentare trasparente. Lasciare lievitare per almeno un’ora.

Trasferire l’impasto in una teglia ben oleata e fare pressione con le dita sulla superficie della pasta per ottenere dei buchi. Tagliare i pomodorini a meta’ e disporli nei buchi.

Preparare un’emulsione con acqua e olio. Versarla sulla focaccia e cospargerla con del sale grosso.

Coprire di nuovo con la pellicola trasparente, far lievitare una seconda volta fino al raddoppio del volume ed infornare a forno caldo (circa 220°) per circa mezz'ora.

Orange Semifreddo

2010-02-28T17:55:00.019Z

I was watching Italian TV the other day, and i saw a recipe for a simple orange semifreddo. The program is ‘La Prova del Cuoco’, which is the equivalent of ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’, and the recipe is from Susanna Badii. I am usually not particularly fond of fruit desserts - I rather prefer high calorie ones - argh! But I had plenty of oranges so I decided to give it a try. Here you go...

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Egg yolks, 4
Egg whites, 4
White sugar, 7 Tbs
Oranges, juice and grated zest of 3 medium organic oranges
Lemon, juice and grated zest of 1 organic lemon
Gelatin leaves, 8g
Whipping Cream, 400 g
Orange slices to decorate

Method

Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water and set aside.

Separate the egg yolks from the whites and whip the whites until stiff peaks. Set aside (preferably in the fridge).

Whip the cream until thick and set aside (preferably in the fridge).

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, until the mixture is pale and thick (I used an electric whisk). While whisking, gradually incorporate the zest and the juice of three oranges and one lemon.

Remove from the heat and let cool down a bit.

Squeeze the gelatin leaves and stir into the egg mixture until dissolved. Transfer to the fridge until cold.

When cold, gently fold in the whipped cream and the whipped egg whites (with upwards movements).

Pour the mixture into a mould or into single sized ones, and transfer into the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.

Decorate with orange slices.

Spumone alle Arance

Adattato da una ricetta di Susanna Badii.

Ingredienti

Uova intere, 4
Zucchero, 7 cucchiai
Arance, succo e scorza grattugiata di 3 arance
Limone, succo e scorza grattugiata di 1 limone
Gelatina in fogli, 8g
Panna da montare, 400 g
Fette di arancia per decorare

Procedimento

Mettere a bagno la gelatina in una ciotola con acqua molto fredda.

In una ciotola a bagno maria montare i tuorli con lo zucchero, accertandosi che la ciotola non sia a contatto con la pentola che contiene acqua calda. Incorporare a poco a poco il succo e le scorze grattugiate di tre arance e di un limone. Far gonfiare per almeno 10 minuti.

Far raffreddare.

Strizzare bene la gelatina, aggiungerla al composto e mescolare con cura in modo che la gelatina si sciolga completamente. Riporre in frigo di nuovo e far raffreddare.

In due ciotole diverse montare la panna e gli albumi.

Prendere il composto lavorato precedentemente dal frigo ed incorporarvi prima la panna montata e poi gli albumi, sempre con movimenti dall’alto verso il basso.

Versare in uno stampo di metallo e trasferire in freezer per almeno 4 ore prima di servire.

Decorare con fette d’arancia.

Tozzetti (Hazelnut Biscotti) - Tozzetti alle Nocciole della Tuscia

2010-02-20T19:12:00.026Z

These hazelnut biscuits come from Tuscia - the Italian historical region that comprised the southern territories under Etruscan influence.
Today Tuscia coincides with the province of Viterbo - the place I come from and the place I still belong to.
My family is from Montefiascone, the beautiful town famous for the production of the ‘Est! Est!! Est!!’ wine.
Despite having lived in London for nearly 13 years, sometimes, when I think about my childhood or my teen years spent in Montefiascone, I can still smell the ‘ragù’ lingering through the streets of the old town, and nostalgia overwhelms me...
This recipe is from my mum.

Per leggere la ricetta in Italiano andare al fondo del Post

Ingredients

Flour, approx. 400g
Sugar, 250g
Butter, 80g
Eggs, 2 (plus 1 for brushing)
Hazelnuts, 250g
Chopped dark chocolate, 130g
Sambuca liqueur, 1 small shot glass
Baking powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Grated zest of a lemon
A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Arrange the shelled nuts on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown (about 8-10 minutes). Let cool down and set aside.

Gently melt the butter in a small sauce pan, let cool down and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs for a few minutes. Combine the eggs with 350g of flour, sugar, butter, sambuca, lemon zest and a pinch of salt.

Finally add the roasted hazelnuts, the chocolate and the baking powder. Beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended.

The dough should now be ready to be shaped into 2 long sausage shapes. If the dough is too sticky, add some more flour. The amount of flour required may vary depending on flour type and humidity.

Arrange the two sausage shapes onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper, not to close to each other.

Lightly brush with egg wash.

Place in the oven and bake for about 20/25 minutes. Remove from the oven and insert a toothpick in the center of the logs. If it shows too many moist crumbs, return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 30-40 minutes.

Transfer the two logs onto a cutting board. Using a bread knife cut them into 1.5 cm slices.

Arrange these onto the baking sheet and return to the oven until dry (approx. 10-15 minutes).

Let cool down store in an air tight bag or container.

Tozzetti della Tuscia

Ingredienti

Farina, circa 400g
Zucchero, 250g
Burro, 80g
Uova, 2 (+1 per spennellare)
Nocciole intere sgusciate, 250g
Cioccolato fondente a pezzetti, 130g
Sambuca, 1 bicchierino
Lievito per dolci, 1 cucchiaino e mezzo
Scorza grattugiata di un limone
Un pizzico di sale

Procedimento

Pre-riscaldare il forno a 180ºC.

Tostare le nocciole per una decina di minuti. A me personalmente non piacciono troppo tostate, quindi le lascio in forno massimo dieci minuti. Far raffreddare e mettere da parte.

Sciogliere il burro in un tegamino a fuoco moderato. Far raffreddare e mettere da parte.

In un recipiente abbastanza capiente battere le uova per qualche minuto. Aggiungere 350 grammi di farina, lo zucchero, il burro, la sambuca, il limone ed un pizzico di sale. Lavorare il composto con un mestolo di legno.

Aggiungere le nocciole, il cioccolato ed il lievito per dolci. Lavorare fino a che tutti gli ingredienti saranno perfettamente amalgamati.

A questo punto, aiutandovi con un po’ di farina, dividete il composto in due salsicciotti, e disponeteli su una teglia sulla quale avrete disposto della carta da forno, un po’ distanti l’uno dall’altro. Se formando i salsicciotti pensate che il composto sia troppo molle, aggiungete altra farina al composto e poi procedete a formare i due salsicciotti.

Spennellare con un uovo sbattuto e trasferire in forno per 20/25 minuti.

Passato questo tempo, togliere dal forno ed inserire uno stecchino per controllare che la pasta sia abbasta cotta all’interno. Non dovra’ essere completamente asciutta, ma neanche troppo molle. Se necessario far cuocere per altri 5-10 minuti.

Togliere dal forno e lasciare raffreddare per 30-40 minuti.

Tagliare a strisce diagonali dello spessore di circa 1,5 cm e rimettere in forno per altri 10-15 minuti per farli biscottare.

Chiacchiere, Italian Carnival Fried Pastries (or Frappe, Cenci, Bugie)

2010-02-15T20:25:00.026Z

These fried pastries are a traditional italian dessert served during Carnival. Each regions has his own version and go under different names according to the place they come from: Chiacchiere, Frappe, Cenci and Bugie, to name just a few.
Be careful, they are quite addictive, so if you try one you won’t be able to stop eating them...
This recipe is from the Italian chef Anna Moroni.

Ingredients

Pain Flour, 500g
Softened Butter, 50g
Eggs, 2
Sugar, 2 Tbsp
Anisette Liqueur (or Sambuca or Grappa), 50g
Grated Zest of a Lemon
White Wine, as required (approx. 100g)
Pinch of Salt

You will also need:

Peanut Oil for frying
Icing Sugar for dusting

Step 1

On a surface or board, make a well in the flour and pour the eggs into it. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the wine) and mix together, adding the wine gradually. Stop adding the wine when the dough is firm but elastic, and doesn’t stick to the surface. Knead for about 15-20 minutes.
Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge to rest for at least an hour.

Step 2

Flour the surface and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a very thin sheet, flouring the surface if required. It is important that the sheet is very, very thin.

Step 3

Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into strips (approx. 5x10 cm) and then make three vertical incisions on each strip.
Heat the frying oil in a deep pan. When hot (but not too much) fry the dough rectangles until lightly golden. It is important that you do not fry them for too long. As soon as you see the colour turning light golden, scoop them out and drain off the oil on kitchen paper. Sprinkle generously with icing sugar.
Serve warm or cold.

 

Chiacchiere (Frappe, Cenci, Bugie, etc.)

Ingredienti

Farina 00, 500g
Burro morbido, 50g
Uova, 2
Zuchero, 2 cucchiai
Anisetta (o Sambuca or Grappa), 50g
Scorza grattugiata di un limone
Vino bianco, q.b.
Un pizzico di sale
Olio di semi di arachidi per friggere
Zucchero a velo

Procedimento

Step 1

Versare la farina sul piano di lavoro, fare un buco nel centro, e versarvi le uova. Aggiungere tutti gli altri ingredienti iniziando ad amalgamare ed impastare il tutto. Attenzione a non aggiungere il vino tutto in una sola volta. Deve essere aggiunto all’impasto gradualmente, fino a quando si ottiene un impasto consistente ma elastico, e che non si attacchi alla superficie.
Impastare per 15-20 minuti.
Ricoprire con della pellicola alimentare e trasferire in frigo a riposare per almeno un’ora.

Step 2

Infarinare leggermente il piano di lavoro ed il mattarello, e stendere la pasta fino ad ottenere una sfoglia sottilissima.

Step 3

Tagliare la sfoglia in rettangoli di circa 5x10 cm, e fare due o tre tagli in senso verticale su ogni pezzo di pasta.
Friggere in olio caldo per poco tempo. Le chiacchiere si devono dorare leggermente, attenzione a non farle scurire troppo. Passarle su carta da cucina per rimuovere l’eccesso di olio.
Spolverizzare con abbondante zucchero a velo.

Fatti Fritti - Sardinian Carnival Doughnuts

2010-02-06T19:34:00.073Z

Fatti-Fritti are a Sardinian Carnival speciality.
We do not celebrate Carnival here in the UK - except for the Notting Hill Carnival, but I decided to celebrate it anyway!
There are so many different ways to prepare Zippulas.
I decided to try this recipe from ‘I Dolci di Pinella’, one of my favourite Italian food blogs. The result was great. Enjoy, and Happy Carnival.

Ingredients

Plain Flour, 500g (I mixed 300g of Italian Flour ‘OO’ type, with 200g of strong white bread flour)
Sugar, 75g
Lard (liquified), 75g
Eggs, 2
Dried Active Yeast,15g
Whole Milk, 130g
Juice of an orange
Grated zest of an orange and a lemon
Filu e Ferru Liquor (or grappa, or sambuca), 3 tbsp
Pinch of salt

You will also need

Peanut Oil for deep frying
White Sugar to sprinkle over the doughnuts

Notes: You will end up with a very sticky dough. For this reason, I decided to use a kitchen mixer. If you don’t have one, you can work the dough by hand, but be aware that it will stick to your hands quite a lot.

Method

Step 1

Dissolve the yeast in 130g of warm milk. Leave it in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 minutes).
In a kitchen mixer - Beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt for 2-3 minutes. Start adding all of the remaining ingredients gradually and mix for 20-30 minutes.
You should obtain a very soft, sticky and elastic dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 2

Sprinkle some flour on the work surface.
Divide the dough into pieces, forming ring shapes (of the size of ring doughnuts).

Important: The dough is quite sticky, so use flour liberally to form the rings. Be aware that the rings will have to rise for another hour, so it is important that you flour them very well, but not too much.

Place the rings onto a well-floured surface, cover with a clean towel and let rise for about an hour.

Step 3

Preheat the oil in a pan to approx. 170 degrees C. Gently place the doughnuts into the oil, 3 to 4 at a time, depending on the size of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute per side or until lightly golden. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle liberally with white sugar.

Fatti-Fritti- Ricetta di Pinella (http://idolcidipinella.blogspot.com/)

Per questi dolci ho seguito la ricetta di Pinella. L’unica differenza e’ che io ho dimezzato le dosi e usato il lievito secco, anziche’ quello fresco.

Sardinian Almond Meringues (Bianchini, Meringhe Sarde)

2010-01-16T17:19:00.017Z

January is a depressing month for me, mainly because of the ‘self-imposed’ new year’s resolutions (losing weight is ‘obviously’ one of them!).
However I could not refrain myself from starting making sweets again, sorry! I have obviously promised myself to eat only one.. yes, only one.. of these nice, sweet, super-light meringues.
This is a Sardinian recipe, given to me by my mother in law.

Ingredients

Egg whites, 150g (3-4 days old)
White sugar, 300g
Toasted almond flakes, 100g
Lemon juice, 2 tbsp
Zest of a lemon
A pinch of salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 100° and set non-stick paper on 2 large baking sheets.
In a very clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt to soft peaks and gradually add the sugar until stiff.
Fold in the chopped almond flakes and the lemon zest, working with upward movements. The mixture is now ready to be piped onto the baking sheets.
Cook on a low shelf for 1 hour and and 20/30 minutes at 100°.
Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack.

Meringhe alle Mandorle (Bianchini)

Ingredienti

Albumi, 150g (meglio se di 3-4 giorni)
Zucchero, 300g
Mandore tostate in scaglie, 100g
Succo di limone, 2 cucchiai
Scorza grattugiata di un limone
Un pizzico di sale

Procedimento

Riscaldare il forno a 100° e preparare due placche su cui avrete steso della carta da forno. Versare gli albumi, il succo di limone ed un pizzico di sale in una ciotola molto pulita, che non abbia nessun residuo di grasso.
Con uno sbattitore montare gli albumi a neve, aggiungendo lo zucchero gradualmente. Quando il composto e’ ben fermo e compatto aggiungere le mandorle tostate e tagliuzzate e la scorza di limone grattugiata.
Con una sacca da pasticciere formare le meringhe sulle placche da forno e cuocere a 100° per un’ora e 20/30 minuti circa. Lasciare reffreddare.

Mamma...

2010-01-08T13:15:00.010Z

Happy New Year everyone!
I have been away for a while but I will be back soon with more recipes..
I spent the Christmas holidays in Italy with my family and friends, bringing back love and good memories. Here is one.. my mum with a huge bowl of hand made fettucine... I love you mum.

Orange Buns filled with Fresh Cream (Adriano Contisio recipe) - Maritozzi all’Arancia con Panna Montata di Adriano Contisio

2009-11-07T10:53:00.029Z

I got this recipe from one of my favourite Italian food bloggers Adriano Contisio (http://profumodilievito.blogspot.com/). This is a recipe created by Adriano and I have to say that these buns are so soft and delicious that they make you forget the amount of time spent to make them (yes, this is not a quick recipe!). Forget calorie counting too and let them melt in your mouth. Truly delicious!

Ingredients

Strong Canadian Flour, 450g
Rice Flour, 50g
Water, 200g
White granulated sugar, 90g
Honey, 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
Fresh yeast, 8g
Salt, 8g
Butter, 60g
Maize oil (or peanut or rice oil), 40g
Zest of an orange
Egg white and sugar syrup for brushing
Fresh Cream to decorate

Method

Heat the water mixed with the orange zest, but do not boil. This step is required for the orange zest to release its flavour. Let cool down for a little bit, until the water is lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water together with a teaspoon of honey. Add 200g of flour, mix well, and leave to rest in a warm place for an hour.

Put the mixture in a bowl, add some of the remaining white flour, the rice flour, part of the sugar and start kneading. Incorporate the whole egg with the rest of the flour and the sugar and continue kneading. Add the egg yolk, 1 tbsp of honey and the salt and keep on kneading the dough. Finally add the softened butter and while kneading incorporate the oil. Work the dough until soft and elastic - for at least 15-20 minutes. Cover the bowl with cling film or with a towel and leave to raise for about two hours.

Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a lightly floured surface and punch to remove the air pockets. Now fold like an envelope, bringing the four sides over the center of the dough. Cover again and leave to rest for half an hour.

Turn the dough out onto the work surface and cut into little balls, weighting approx. 80 grams each. Work each dough ball into a round shape, place onto the work surface, cover with a towel and leave to rest for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the dough balls upside down, and re-shape them into a round shape. Cover with a towel and leave to raise for an hour. After an hour the dough balls should be light and fluffy.

Brush with egg white and transfer to a pre-heated oven to 180° for about 12 minutes, or until golden. When cooked, remove from the oven and brush again with sugar syrup. To make the sugar syrup mix 100g of water with 135g sugar, bring to the boil and remove from the heat once the syrup has thickened. When you brush the buns the sugar syrup temperature should be approximately 30°.

Once cold, perform a cut in the middle of the buns and fill with fresh cream. At this point bring one bun to your mouth and you will be in heaven!

Maritozzi all’Arancia di Adriano Contisio

Ho chiesto ad Adriano se potevo linkare la sua meravigliosa ricetta (con foto e spiegazioni dettagliate) ed eccola qua: http://profumodilievito.blogspot.com/2009/03/maritozzi-allarancia.html.

Crème Pâtissière Tart

2009-11-05T20:58:00.026Z

Ingredients

Plain flour, 200g (I use the `00` type)
Unsalted good quality butter, 100g - plus extra for greasing
Icing sugar, 50g
2 free-range egg yolks, plus 1 egg for brushing
Some cold water
Pinch of salt
Lemon zest
Approx 400g of Crème Pâtissière

Crème Pâtissière

Whole milk, 250g
Caster sugar, 70
Half vanilla pod
Egg yolks, 2
Sieved Flour, 40g

Method First of all prepare the Crème Pâtissière. In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod. Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some clingfilm over the surface and chill. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming. On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using. Place the pastry in a 25 cm tart tin, pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry, and reserve the trimmings. Spread the Crème Pâtissière inside the tart base. Roll out the pastry trimmings, cut into strips and lay the strips over the tart. Brush with a beaten egg and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden colour. Leave to cool completely before serving.

Crostata alla Crema Pasticcera

Ingredienti

Farina OO, 200g

Burro di buona qualita’, 100g

Zucchero a velo, 50g

2 tuorli d`uovo ed un uovo intero per spennellare

Acqua fredda q.b.

Un pizzico di sale

La buccia grattugiata di un limone

Circa 400g di Crema Pasticcera

Crema Pasticcera

Latte intero, 250g

Zucchero 70

Mezza bacca di vaniglia

2 tuorli d’uovo

Farina, 40g

Metodo

Crema Pasticcera - Versare il latte in un pentolino, aggiungere meta’ di un baccello di vaniglia tagliato a metà nel senso della lunghezza e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata ed amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Coprire la crema con della pellicola alimentare per evitare la formazione di pellicina e far raffreddare.
Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli e la buccia del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla. Disponete la pasta frolla in una tortiera di circa 25 cm. Con una parte dell'impasto che avrete messo da parte, formare delle striscioline da mettere sopra dopo aver spalmato la crema pasticcera. Spennellare con un uovo battuto leggermente e mettere la crostata cosi' pronta in forno a circa 180 gradi per 40 minuti circa. Far raffreddare e servire.

Semi-Sweet Brioche (Sorelle Simili Recipe) - Brioche Semidolce delle Sorelle Simili

2009-10-26T20:30:00.021Z

Another recipe from the Simili sisters. Delicate, light and buttery. Perfect for a lazy Sunday morning...
Ingredients

Poolish

Strong White Flour, 150g
Water, 90g
Fresh Yeast, 20g (or 10g of dried active yeast)

Brioche

Strong White Flour, 350g
Water, approx. 50g
Butter, 100g
Eggs, 2
Sugar, 120g
Pinch of Salt
Milk for brushing
Sucre perlé (optional)

Method

Poolish

Mix the flour, the yeast and the water. Cover with cling film and leave to prove in a warm, dry place for an hour.

Brioche

Mix all the ingredients and the poolish together and start working the dough until smooth and elastic (at least for 15-20 minutes).
Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1.5 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and roll into your favourite shape. Transfer onto a greased baking sheet, cover with a clean towel and let rise for about 40 minutes.
Brush with milk, sprinkle with sucre perlé (optional) and transfer into a preheated oven to 200ºC. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Brioche delle Sorelle Simili

 Ingredienti

 Poolish

Farina forte, 150g
Acqua, 90g
Lievito di birra fresco, 20g (o 10g di lievito secco)

 Impasto Brioche

Farina forte, 350g (io ho usato meta’ farina OO e meta’ Manitoba)
Acqua, 50g
Burro ammorbidito, 100g
Uova, 2
Zucchero, 120g
Un pizzico di sale
Granella di zucchero (opzionale)
Latte per spennellare

  Procedimento

Poolish

Impastare gli ingredienti e lasciare riposare per almeno un’ora.

Impasto Brioche

Impastare tutti gli ingredienti, incluso il poolish.  Lavorare energicamente per almeno 15-20 minuti. Mettere in una ciotola unta di burro e lasciare lievitare per 1 ora e 1/2.
 Rovesciare sul tavolo e formare l'impasto desiderato. Coprire e far lievitare per 40 minuti. Spennellare con del latte, cospargere di granella di zucchero e trasferire in forno preriscaldato a 200ºC per 40 minuti circa.

Semi-Sweet Bread Rolls (sorelle Simili recipe) - Panini Semidolci delle sorelle Simili

2009-09-21T21:02:00.020+01:00

I’m back. Summer is almost over, so I decided that I should treat myself and my friends with these semi-sweet mini rolls from heaven. First of all, you need to know that you cannot go wrong with Simili Sisters recipes - if you want to know who they are, please have look here: http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/21/dining/in-a-land-of-plenty-twins-teach-simplicity.html?pagewanted=all.
These mini rolls are great to serve with salami, ham, cheese.. anything you like, even chocolate!
I worked the dough by hand (a real workout!) as suggested by the two sisters, but it was definitely worth it.

Ingredients

Plain Flour, 1Kg (my mix: 30% very strong flour and 70% Italian ’00’ flour)
Water, approx. 400g
Fresh Yeast, 40g
Butter, 150g
Lard, 50g
Salt, 15g
Sugar, 100g
Egg, 1 (for brushing)

Method

In a jug, dissolve the fresh yeast in 150g of warm water.

Mix the yeast mixture with the rest of the ingredients: sugar, remaining water (250g), liquified butter and lard, flour and salt - remember to add the salt as the last ingredient. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead energically for at least 15-20 minutes.

When the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume (approximately one hour and a half, depending on room temperature).

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto the work surface and cut into little balls, weighting approximately 35 grams each. Work each dough ball into a round shape (or the shape you prefer) and place onto a lightly greased baking tray. Brush with a beaten egg and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour.

Brush the dough balls again with the beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds - or leave them plain. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes in a preheated oven to 180ºC or until the top of the bread rolls is lightly golden.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Tips

Never mix directly salt and yeast, as salt inhibits yeast growth
The amount of water required may vary depending on flour type and humidity

Panini Semidolci delle Sorelle Simili

Ingredienti

Farina, 1Kg (ho usato: 30% Manitoba e 70% ’00’)
Acqua, approx. 400g
Lievito Fresco, 40g
Burro, 150g
Strutto, 50g
Sale, 15g
Zucchero, 100g
1 uovo (per spennellare i paini)

Procedimento

Sciogliere il lievito in 150g di acqua tiepida.

In una ciotola unire tutti gli ingredienti (lo zucchero, l’acqua rimanente 250g, il burro e lo strutto liquefatti, la farina ed il sale - il sale va aggiunto sempre come ultimo ingrediente).

Rovesciare sulla superficie di lavoro e lavorare molto energicamente per almeno 15-20 minuti. La Simili suggeriscono di ‘battere’ la pasta sulla superficie di lavoro diverse volte, in modo da renderla elastica.

Finito di lavorare la pasta, disporla in un contenitore capiente, coprire con pellicola trasparente e far lievitare fino al raddoppio (un’ora e mezza circa, a seconda della temperatura, stagione, etc.).

Trascorso questo tempo, rovesciare la pasta sul piano di lavoro e formare delle palline di pasta di circa 35 grammi ciascuna (ovviamente vi potete sbizzarrire con altre forme, tipo piccolo sfilatino, croissant, etc.). Spennellare con l’uovo sbattuto e mettere di nuovo a lievitare in un posto caldo e lontano da correnti per un’ora circa.

Finita la seconda lievitazione, mettere in forno a 180ºC per 10-12 minuti, o fino a che i panini iniziano a dorarsi. Devono risultare morbidi, e leggermente croccanti in superficie.

Siccome mi servivano per un buffet e avevo bisogno di prepararli anzitempo, appena freddi li ho congelati. Il giorno del buffet li ho scongelati a temperatura ambiente per un’oretta e reinfornati per 5-7 minuti. Sembravano appena fatti!

Mini Lemon Tarts (Tartellette alla Crema di Limone)

2009-07-31T16:48:00.021+01:00

For this recipe I used shortcut pastry from Margherita and Valeria Simili, and lemon filling from this great Italian food blog: http://lospaziodistaximo.blogspot.com/. The combination was just perfect! Delicious...

Ingredients

For the Shortcut Pastry

Plain Flour, 200g (I use the `00` type)
Butter, 100g
Icing Sugar, 50g
2 Free-range egg yolks
Cold water
Pinch of salt

For the Filling

Water, 250g
Butter, 50g
Starch, 50g
Sugar, 180g
Eggs, 2
Lemon juice, 50g
Grated Zest of a Lemon

For the Pastry:

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar and the egg yolks, and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required.
Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

For the Filling:

In a saucepan, heat the water with the butter, the sugar and the starch, whisking thoroughly. Remove from the heat.
While whisking, add the lemon juice, the lemon zest and the eggs (one at a time). Transfer to the heat again, and whisk until the mixture is dense and fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the pastry in mini tart tins, pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry and spread the lemon filling inside the tart bases evenly. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until light golden. Leave to cool completely before serving and dust with icing sugar.

Tartellette alla Crema di Limone

Ingredienti

Per la Pasta Frolla

Farina OO, 200g
Burro, 100g
Zucchero a Velo, 50g
Tuorli, 2
Acqua Fredda, q.b.
Un pizzico di Sale

Per la Crema al Limone

Acqua, 250g
Burro, 50g
Fecola, 50g
Zucchero, 180g
Uova, 2
Succo di Limone, 50g
Scorza grattugiata di un Limone

Metodo

Per la Pasta Frolla

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli e la buccia del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.

Per la Crema al Limone

In un pentolino riscaldare l’acqua con il burro, lo zucchero e la fecola e lavorare con una frusta fino a quando il composto comincia ad addensarsi. Rimuovere dal fuoco.
Aggiungere il succo di limone, la scorza grattugiata di un limone e le uova, una alla volta, continuando a lavorare con la frusta. Trasferire sul gas di nuovo e, continuando a girare, lavorare fino a quando la crema non risulta liscia e densa.
Disponete ora la pasta frolla nelle formine, premendo sui bordi e rimuovendo la pasta in eccesso.
Versarvi la crema al limone e livellare.
Infornare in forno precedentemente riscaldato a 180° C per circa 15 minuti, a seconda della potenza del forno. Far raffreddare e spolverare con zucchero a velo.

Apple Tart (Torta di Mele)

2009-06-29T21:53:00.014+01:00

Ingredients

Shortcut Pastry

Plain flour, 250g (I use the `00` type)
Unsalted good quality butter, 125g
Sugar, 2 tbsp
1 Egg
Cold water
Salt, half tsp

Filling

6 apples (approx. 850g)
Butter, 60g
Sugar, 1 tbsp
A vanilla bean

Glaze

Sugar, 80g
Water, 40ml

Method

Pastry

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the sugar, the egg and half tsp of salt and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required.
Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

Heat the oven to 200°C.
Grease and flour a 24cm flan tin with removable base and line with the pastry. Prick the bottom with a fork, cover with cling film and put in the fridge to chill.

Filling

Peel and core the apples then cut each quarter into slices. Melt the butter in a heavy pan, add a third of the apple slices (the smallest ones), the butter, the sugar and the vanilla bean, and cook gently to obtain a smooth purée.
Allow the purée to cool down a bit, remove the vanilla bean and then scrape it into the lined flan tin. Level the surface, then arrange the apple slices over the top in overlapping concentric circles.
Place in the oven for approx. 35 minutes or until lightly golden.
Leave to cool down for at least 20 minutes.

Glaze

Bring the water and the sugar to the boil. Boil for about 4-5 minutes until it forms a syrup. Glaze the top of the tart with the sugar syrup.

Torta di Mele

Ingredienti

Pasta Frolla

Farina OO, 250g
Burro, 125g
Zucchero, 2 cucchiai
1 Uovo
Acqua fredda, q.b.
Sale, mezzo cucchiaino

Ripieno

6 Mele (approx. 850g)
Burro, 60g
Zucchero, 1 cucchiaio
Una bacca di vaniglia

Glassa

Zucchero, 80g
Acqua, 40ml

Procedimento

Pasta Frolla

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, il tuorlo ed il sale e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di stenderla.
Preriscaldare il forno a 200°C.
Imburrare ed infarinare una tortiera dal fondo rimuovibile e stendervi la pasta frolla. Bucherellare la base con una forchetta, coprire con della pellicola e trasferire di nuovo in frigo.

Ripieno

Sbucciare le mele e tagliarle a fettine. Trasferite un terzo delle mele (le fettine piu’ piccole) in una pentola. Aggiungere il burro e lo zucchero e cuocere a fuoco lento fino ad ottenere un composto omogeneo, tipo pure’.
Far raffreddare il composto di mele, eliminare la bacca di vaniglia e spalmare sulla base di pasta frolla in modo omogeneo.
Disponete le fette di mela rimaste sulla torta in modo concentrico, sovrapponendo le une con le altre.
Trasferire in forno preriscaldato per 35 minuti circa.
Lasciare raffreddare per una ventina di inuti.

Glassa

In un pentolino portare l’acqua e lo zucchero ad ebollizione. Lasciar bollire, mescolando, per 4-5 minuti, fino ad ottenere uno sciroppo denso.
Spennellare la torta con la glassa.

Mini Pizza Canapés - Pizzette di Pasta Sfoglia

2009-06-16T21:36:00.022+01:00

Ideal to be served as party canapés or with a nice glass of wine to welcome your guests. You can prepare this a few hours in advance, keep it in the fridge and transfer to the oven when the guests arrive. Happy summer!

Ingredients

Ready rolled Puff Pastry (2 packs of approx. 375g)
Thick Tomato Passata
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Unroll a sheet of puff pastry and place on the baking tray. Add the salt to the tomato passata and spread the sauce onto the puff pastry sheet.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Line the other puff pastry sheet onto the one with the tomato sauce and press gently. Using a pastry cutter, cut into squares.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pizzette di Pasta Sfoglia

Ingredienti

Pasta sfoglia pronta, 2 confezioni da circa 375g
Passata di pomodoro densa
Parmigiano grattugiato
Sale

Metodo

Preriscaldare il forno a 220°C. Ricoprire una teglia con della carta da forno. Adagiare il primo strato di pasta sfoglia sulla teglia. Salare la passata e cospargerla sulla pasta sfoglia. Spolverizzare con un paio di manciate di parmigiano grattugiato. Ricoprire con l’altro strato di pasta sfoglia premendo leggermente. Tagliare in quadratini e cuocere in forno gia’ caldo per 10-15 minuti

Ricotta and Lemon Cake (Torta con Ricotta e Limone)

2009-06-06T18:10:00.011+01:00

Ingredients

Flour, 300g
Sugar, 300g
Ricotta Cheese, 300g
Eggs, 3
Lemon, 1
Baking Powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
Icing Sugar

Method

Grease a plum cake mould or a 22 cm round cake tin and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cream the sugar with the ricotta cheese, the juice and the zest of a lemon and the egg yolks.
Incorporate the flour and the baking powder, and then gently fold in the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the plum cake mould or cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes. Let it cool and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Torta con Ricotta e Limone

Ingredienti

Farina, 300g
Zucchero, 300g
Ricotta, 300g
Uova, 3
Limone, 1
Lievito Pane degli Angeli, 1 bustina
Zucchero a velo

Metodo

Imburrare uno stampo da plum cake o una tortiera rotonda di circa 22 cm e mettere da parte.
Montare gli albumi a neve e mettere da parte.
Preriscaldare il forno a 180°C.
Lavorare la ricotta con lo zucchero, i tuorli ed il succo e la buccia grattugiata di un limone.
Incorporare la farina ed il lievito, ed infine gli albumi, facendo attenzione a non smontare l’impasto.
Versare il composto nello stampo per plum cake o nella tortiera e trasferire nel forno preriscaldato per circa 35 minuti.
Lasciare raffreddare e spolverizzare con lo zucchero a velo prima di servire.

Ciriole Bread

2009-05-23T09:09:00.009+01:00

This is based on the recipe from another of my favourite Italian websites http://www.scuoladipasticceria.it/pane/ciriola.htm. I made a few changes, but it turned out quite good. Ingredients

Strong White Flour, 1Kg
Water, about 550gr
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 45gr
Fresh Yeast, 25gr
Salt, 20gr
Sugar, 1tsp

In a jug, dissolve 1 tsp of sugar in 150g of warm water. Add the fresh yeast and whisk thoroughly. If using a kitchen mixer: Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier, with the hook attachment), add the extra virgin olive oil, the flour, and start mixing the ingredients together, adding the rest of the water gradually. Add the salt (which should never be mixed directly with the yeast as it inhibits yeast growth) and mix the dough for about 20 minutes. By hand: You can knead the dough with your bare hands until the dough is smooth (for about 25-30 minutes). Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl (oiled with extra virgin olive oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and cut it into several pieces, weighting approx. 150g each. Flour the working surface and the rolling pin, and roll out each dough piece to a sheet of approx. 30 cm x 10 cm. Roll each sheet into a roll and transfer onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Let rise again in a worm place for 40-45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220ºC. Use a sharp knife or a razor blade to cut a vertical slash on the top of each loaf. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving. Tips • Never mix directly salt and yeast, as salt inhibits yeast growth • The amount of water required may vary depending on flour type and humidity    Ciriole Ingredienti

Farina tipo ‘O’, 1Kg
Acqua, circa 550gr
Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva, 45gr
Lievito Fresco, 25gr
Sale, 20gr
Zucchero, 1tsp

Dissolvere il lievito fresco e un cucchiaino di zucchero in 150g di acqua tiepida. Versare il composto nell`impastatrice (usando il gancio per il pane) e aggiungere l’olio, il resto dell’acqua e un po’ di farina. Iniziare ad impastare aggiungendo gradatamente il resto della farina. Aggiungere il sale e continuare ad impastare per circa 20 minuti, o fino a quando il composto non risulta essere liscio ed elastico. Se non avete un kitchen mixer potete impastare a mano per 25-30 minuti. Formare una palla, trasterire in una ciotola capiente e oleata. Coprire con della pellicola alimentare e lasciare lievitare per un paio d’ore. Versare la pasta sul piano di lavoro e tagliare in pezzi di circa 150g. Infarinare il piano di lavoro ed il mattarello, e tirare ciascun pezzo di pasta in una sfoglia abbastanza spessa di circa 30cm x 10cm. Arrotolare ogni pezzo di pasta e trasferire su una placca ricoperta di carta da forno. Preriscaldare il forno a 220ºC. Con un coltello affilato o una lametta incidere le ciriole verticalmente. Infornare per circa 20 minuti o fino a quando le ciriole non diventano dorate.

Taralli with Fennel Seeds (Taralli ai Semi di Finocchio)

2009-05-18T22:47:00.019+01:00

Taralli - very common in Southern Italy, especially in the Puglia region - are similar to pretzels. Before baking them, you should drop them quickly into boiling water. This step gives them a very interesting and unique texture. Perfect as a snack, and even better with a nice glass of wine. This recipe is from the Italian chef Anna Moroni. Ingredients

Plain Flour (I use the ‘OO’ type), 1Kg
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 200gr
Salt, 10gr
Fennel Seeds, 10gr
White Wine

Method

Mix the flour and the olive oil until this is completely absorbed. Add the salt and the fennel seeds and mix well. Start adding the white wine gradually and knead the dough for about 15 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic, and it should not stick to the surface.
Cut out small pieces of dough and roll into ropes about 9 cm long. Form a ring and pinch the two edges together.

Drop the rings (10 at a time) into boiling water (about 2 liters) and when they rise to the surface remove and drain on a kitchen cloth.

Transfer on a baking sheet and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, or until golden.

Taralli ai Semi di Finocchio

Ingredienti

Farina ‘OO’, 1Kg
Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva, 200gr
Sale, 10gr
Semi di Finocchio, 10gr
Vino Bianco

Metodo

Impastare la farina con l’olio d’oliva fino a che non sia completamente assorbito. Aggiungere i semi di finocchio ed il sale. Versare il vino gradualmente ed impastare fino ad ottenere una pasta elastica, non dura, e che non si attacchi al piano di lavoro.
Tagliare dei piccoli pezzetti di pasta, allungarli fino a 9 cm circa, e formare i taralli unendo le due estremita’.
Portare a bollore 2 litri d’acqua. Immergere i taralli e appena vengono a galla toglierli ed riporli su un panno da cucina. Disporli su una placca da forno e informare a 180°C per 30 minuti o fino a quando i taralli saranno leggermente dorati.

Shortcut Pastry Cannoli with Ricotta and Chocolate filling (Cannoli di Pasta Frolla con ripieno di Ricotta e Cioccolato)

2009-05-17T21:12:00.028+01:00

Another fantastic recipe from Thea (http://dolcipensieri-blog.blogspot.com/2008/05/cannoli-di-frolla-e-ricotta.html). This is a revised version of the Sicilian Cannoli alla Ricotta. It's very original, and most importantly, delicious. Thanks Thea for letting me share your recipes.

Ingredients

For the Ricotta Filling

Ricotta cheese, 250g
Sugar, 70g
Whipped cream, 200g
White wine, 2 Tbsp
Zest of 1 lemon
2 gelatine leaves
Vanilla
Icing sugar

For the Shortcut Pastry

Plain Flour, 500g (I use the ’OO’ type flour)
Butter, 250g
Sugar, 150g
Egg yolks, 6
Diced dark chocolate, about 90g
Egg white for brushing
Cannoli tubes
Round pastry cutter

Method

For the Filling

Sieve the ricotta cheese.
In a small pan, heat two tbsp of wine and add the gelatine leaves stirring well until dissolved.
Add the gelatine to the ricotta mixture and then the rest of the ingredients, gently folding in the whipped cream so that the mixture does not collapse. Transfer to the fridge.

For the Shortcut Pastry

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the sugar and the egg yolks and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Roll out the dough until 3-4 mm thick. Use a round pastry cutter to cut out about 20 rounds.

Roll each circle of dough around a metal cannoli tube. Brush the ends with some egg white and overlap them, pressing to seal.
Brush the surface of the Cannoli with egg white, place on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated to 200ºC for about 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden.
Cool on a wire rack.

Pipe the ricotta and chocolate filling into the cannoli and dust with icing sugar.

Cannoli di Pasta Frolla con ripieno di Ricotta e Cioccolato

Ingredienti

Per il Ripieno

Ricotta, 250g
Zucchero, 70g
Panna montata, 200g
Cioccolato fondente a pezzetti, circa 90g
Vino bianco, due cucchiai
Scorza grattugiata di un limone
Gelatina in fogli, 2
Vaniglia
Zucchero a velo

Per la Pasta Frolla

Farina ‘OO’, 500g
Burro, 250g
Zucchero, 150g
Uova, 6 tuorli
Bianco d’uovo per spennellare

Metodo

Per il Ripieno

Passare la ricotta al setaccio. Scaldare due cucchiai di vino, aggiungere la gelatina e mescolare fino a quando non e’ completamente dissolta.
Aggiungere la gelatina alla ricotta.
Aggiungere poi il resto degli ingredienti, incorporando la panna montata dall’alto verso il basso facendo attenzione a non far smontare il composto.
Trasferire in frigo.

Per la Pasta Frolla

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero e i tuorli e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per almeno 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.
Riscaldare il forno a 200ºC.
Stendere la pasta con il mattarello fino a formare una sfoglia di 3-4 mm.
Con un bicchiere o un tagliapasta rotondo tagliare dei cerchi.
Avvolgere ciascun cerchio attorno ai tubi di latta. Spennelate le estremita’ con il bianco d’uovo e pressare per fare aderire.
Spennellare la superficie dei cannoli con del bianco d’uovo, trasferire su una placca da forno ricoperta di carta da forno e cuocere a 200ºC per circa 10-15 minuti o fino a quando i cannoli non risultano leggermente dorati.
Far raffreddare.
Con una tasca da pasticcere riempire i cannoli e spolverizzare con dello zucchero a velo.

Roses Cake - Torta delle Rose

2009-05-13T21:47:00.045+01:00

This is not a very easy recipe - I must confess the first time I tried it, it didn’t look very pretty.
However with a bit of practising you will achieve great results and you will be very pleased with the look, smell and taste of this amazing cake.
Torta delle Rose (Roses Cake) takes its name from its rose shape. For the filling I used butter and sugar, but you could also use Creme Patissierie or butter and dark chocolate chips, according to ones taste.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Plain Flour (I always use Italian Flour ‘OO’ type), 500g
Sugar, 90g
Eggs, 2
Softened Butter, 60g
Fresh Yeast, 20g (or Dried Active Yeast 1 level tbsp eqv. to 15g)
Whole Milk, 60g
Water, 60g
Pinch of Salt
1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp of milk for brushing
Sucre perlé (optional)
26 cm dip round cake tin

For the Filling:

Sugar, 125g
Softened Butter, 125g
Pinch of Salt

Step 1
Dissolve the fresh yeast in 60g of warm water. If using dried yeast, leave it in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 minutes) before mixing with other ingredients.
Incorporate 150g of flour into the yeast mixture, cover with cling film and let rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

Step 2
If using a kitchen mixer - Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier), add all of the remaining ingredients and mix for about 15 minutes.
You should obtain a very soft and elastic dough, of the consistency of brioche dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 3
Prepare the Filling:
In a bowl mix the softened butter, the sugar and a pinch of salt until very soft - make sure the mixture is very soft, or you will not be able to spread it onto the rolled dough (see next step).

Step 4
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead to knock out any air pockets. Form the dough into a round.
Flour the surface or board and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a rectangular sheet approximately 60 x 20 cm and about half cm thick. Flour the surface from time to time if required, making sure the dough doesn’t stick to the working surface.
Using a spatula, spread the butter and sugar mixture onto the rolled dough sheet, covering the entire surface.
Roll the sheet into a roll.

Using a sharp knife, cut about 4 cm slices from the roll and place them upright into the greased cake tin, leaving some space between each slice.

Cover with cling film and let rise again for about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170ºC.

Step 5
Remove the cling film form the cake tin. Whisk the egg yolk with 2 tbsp of milk, brush the cake and sprinkle with sucre perlé (optional).

Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Transfer onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

Torta delle Rose

Ingredienti

Per la torta:

Farina ‘OO’, 500g
Zucchero, 90g
Uova, 2
Burro, 60g
Lievito di birra fresco (o 20g di lievito di birra disidratato)
Latte intero, 60g
Acqua, 60g
Un pizzico di sale
1 rosso d’uovo e 2 cucchiai di latte per spennellare la torta
Granella di zucchero (opzionale)
Una tortiera alta del diametro di 26 cm

Per la farcia:

Zucchero, 125g
Burro, 125g
Un pizzico di sale

Step 1
Sciogliere il lievito di birra in 60g di acqua tiepida. Se usate il lievito secco lasciare riposare per una decina di minuti.
Incorporare 150 g di farina, coprire con pellicola trasparente e lasciare riposare in un luogotiepido per circa 40 minuti.

Step 2
Impastare il lievitino con tutti gli altri ingredienti (a mano o in un kitchen micer) per circa 15 minuti. La pasta deve risultare morbida ed elastica, della consistenza della pasta per brioche. Allo stesso tempo non deve risultare troppo appiccicosa.
Coprire con della pellicola alimentare e lasciare riposare in un luogo tiepido per un paio d’ore o fino a quando il volume non sia raddoppiato.

Step 3
Per la farcia:
In una ciotola mescolare il burro precedentemente ammorbidito, lo zucchero ed un pizzico di sale fino ad ottenere un composto molto morbido e leggero - altrimenti non riuscirete a spalmare la farcia sulla pasta stesa - vedi prossimo step.

Step 4
Riversare la pasta sulla superficie di lavoro e sgonfiarla con dei piccoli pugni.
Formare una palla.
Infarinare la superficie di lavoro ed il mattarello e stendere la pasta fino ad ottenere un rettangolo di circa 60 x 20 cm e dello spessore di circa mezzo centimetro. Infarinare di nuovo se necessario, per evitare che la pasta si appiccichi alla superficie.
Con una spatula spalmare la farcia sull’intera superficie della pasta.
Arrotolare e tagliare in tronchetti lunghi circa 4 cm. Disporre i tronchetti in verticale nella teglia gia’ imburrata, un po’ distanziati gli uni dagli altri.
Coprire con della pellicola alimentare e lasciare lievitare di nuovo per circa 40 minuti.
Preriscaldare il forno a 170ºC.

Step 5
Togliere la pellicola.
Sbattere il tuorlo dell’uovo con un paio di cucchiai di latte e spennellare la superficie della torta. Spolverare con la granella di zucchero (opzionale).
Cuocere per circa 35-40 minuti a 170ºC.
Far raffreddare un po’ prima di servire.
  

Poppy Seed Breadsticks - Grissini con Semi di Papavero

2009-05-07T21:34:00.032+01:00

I took this recipe from one of my favourite Italian food blogs http://www.cavolettodibruxelles.it - the recipe is from the Italian chef Nicola Cavallaro http://www.nicolacavallaro.it/. I modified the recipe slightly - I didn’t have fresh yeast so I used 15g of dried active yeast.
Making Grissini is so simple but the results are really delicious.

Ingredients:

Plain White Flour, 400g
Strong White Flour, 100g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 100g
Dried Active Yeast 1 level tbsp (15g)
Salt, 8g
Water
Poppy Seeds or Rosemary (optional)

Method:

In a jug, dissolve 15g (1 level tbsp) of yeast with some warm water and whisk thoroughly. Leave in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 mins).
If using a kitchen mixer: Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier), add the extra virgin olive oil, the flour, and start mixing the ingredients together, adding enough water to obtain a smooth dough that doesn’t stick to the bowl. Add the salt (which should never be mixed directly with the yeast as it inhibits yeast growth) and mix the dough for about 15 minutes.
By hand: You can knead the dough with your bare hands until the dough is smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface, cut in small pieces and roll each piece to form long, thin sticks.

Brush the dough sticks with water, sprinkle with poppy seeds or chopped rosemary, and roll them again to make sure the poppy seeds and rosemary stick to the surface.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the bread sticks onto a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven to 200ºC for about 10-15 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Grissini ai Semi di Papavero

Questa ricetta, che ho trovato su uno dei miei siti preferiti http://www.cavolettodibruxelles.it/, e’ dello chef Nicola Cavallaro (http://www.nicolacavallaro.it/). Ho pero’ apportato una piccola modifica. Non avendo a disposizione il lievito fresco ho usato 15g di lievito secco disidratato.

Ingredienti:

Farina ‘OO’, 400g
Farina Manitoba, 100g
Olio Extra Vergine d’Oliva, 100g
Lievito Secco Disidratato (15g)
Sale, 8g
Acqua q.b.
Semi di Papavero o Rosmarino (optional)

Metodo:

Sciogliere il lievito in un po’ di acqua tiepida e lasciare riposare per 10-15 minuti.
Versare quindi nell`impastatrice e aggiungere l’olio extra vergine di oliva. Iniziare ad impastare aggiungendo gradatamente la farina. Aggiungere il sale e continuare ad impastare per circa 15 minuti, incorporando acqua fino a quando il composto non risulta essere liscio ed elastico (non deve risultare appiccicaticcio).
Se non avete un kitchen mixer potete impastare a mano.
Coprire con della pellicola alimentare e lasciare lievitare per un paio d’ore.
Preriscaldare il forno a 200ºC.
Trascorse le due ore ricavare dalla pasta dei bastoncini rotolando dei pezzetti di pasta sul piano di lavoro fino ad ottenere dei bastoncini di 12-15 centimetri di lunghezza.
Inumidire i bastoncini con dell’acqua e cospargerli con i semi di papavero (o pezzetti di rosmarino), arrotolandoli di nuovo in modo che i semini o il rosmarino si attacchino alla superficie.
Disporre su una teglia ricoperta di carta da forno e trasferire in forno preriscaldato a 200ºC per 10-15 minuti, o fino a quando i grissini saranno dorati.

Ricotta and Chocolate Round Cake Roll (Ciambella Arrotolata alla Ricotta e Cioccolato)

2009-05-04T20:53:00.064+01:00

I love this cake. It’s so soft that melts in your mouth and it’s perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea.
This recipe is from Thea, an Italian fellow blogger - one of my favourite blogs http://dolcipensieri-blog.blogspot.com/.

Ingredients

For the Cake:
Plain Flour, 500g
Butter, 80g
Eggs, 2
Milk, 100g
Rhum, 1 Tbsp
Sugar, 6 Tbsp
Vanilla essence
1 sachet of ‘Pane Degli Angeli’ or a similar instant leavening agent for desserts (I.e. Baking Powder)
Sucre perlé
Icing Sugar

For the Filling:
Ricotta Cheese, 250g
Diced Dark Choccolate, 130g
1 Egg
Sugar, 6 Tbsp
Unsalted butter, 80g

Grease an oven tray and preheat the oven to 180°C.

First of all prepare the filling:
Place the ricotta in a sieve to drain off any excess water. In a bowl, mix the sieved ricotta with the sugar and the egg. Set aside.

The dough:
Work all the ingredients together (flour, butter, eggs, milk, rhum, sugar, vanilla essence and baking powder) to obtain a soft dough.
Flour the working surface and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a sheet of approx. 35 cm x 35 cm.
In a sauce pan melt the butter (about 80g). Brush the liquified butter onto the dough sheet and sprinkle with one or two handfuls of granulated sugar.
Now spread the ricotta filling evenly onto the dough sheet and then sprinkle with the diced chocolate.
Roll the sheet into a roll.
Transfer the roll onto a greased baking sheet and join the two edges together to form a ring. Brush with milk and sprinkle with Sucre perlé.
Bake in a pre-heated oven to 180°C for about 30 minutes.
Transfer onto a wire rack and leave to cool. When cold sprinkle with icing sugar.

Ciambella arrotolata alla Ricotta e Cioccolato

Ingredienti

Per la Ciambella:
Farina, 500g
Burro, 80g
Uova, 2
Latte, 100g
Rhum, 1 Tbsp
Zucchero, 6 Tbsp
Essenza di Vaniglia
1 bustina di Pane Degli Angeli
Granella di zucchero
Zucchero a velo per decorare

Per il ripieno:
Ricotta, 250g
Cioccolato fondente a pezzetti, 130g
1 Uovo
Zucchero, 6 cucchiai
Burro, 80g

Riscaldare il forno a 180°C.

Preparare il ripieno:
Passare la ricotta al setaccio. Incorporare l’uovo e lo zucchero e mettere da parte.

Per la ciambella:
Lavorare tutti gli ingredienti (farina, burro, uova, latte, rhum, zucchero, essenza di vaniglia e Pane degli Angeli) fino ad ottenere un panetto di pasta morbido ma che non sia appiccicoso.
Con il mattarello tirare una sfoglia di circa 35 cm x 35 cm, spennellare con il burro fuso e spolverizzare con una o due manciate di zucchero e con il cioccolato a pezzetti.
Arrotolare e disporre a corona in una teglia imburrata. Spennellare con del latte e spolverizzare con la granella di zucchero.
Infornare a 180°C per circa 30 minuti.
Una volta freddo spolverizzare con dello zucchero a velo.

Soft Focaccia Bread with Green Olives and Sundried Tomatoes

2009-05-01T09:32:00.020+01:00

Focaccia is quite popular in Italy and is usually seasoned with olive oil and salt. It may also be topped with a number of ingredients - I used Olives and Sundried Tomatoes for this one. No matter what toppings you use, this Italian flat bread is simply divine.
Once cooked you can also cut the Focaccia into squares and serve with your favourite ingredients - Parma Ham, Buffalo Mozzarella, Salame, etc..

Ingredients (Makes two focaccia)
• Plain Flour 500g
• Water 140g
• Milk 150g
• Sugar 1 tsp
• Salt 2 tsp
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Dried Active Yeast 1 level tbsp (15g)
• Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Rosemary
• Dried Oregano

Method
In a jug, dissolve 1 tsp of sugar in 150g of warm milk. Sprinkle with 15g (1 level tbsp) of yeast and whisk thoroughly. Leave in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 mins).
If using a kitchen mixer: Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier), add two generous spoons of extra virgin olive oil, the flour, and start mixing the ingredients together, adding the water gradually. Add the salt (which should never be mixed directly with the yeast as it inhibits yeast growth) and mix the dough for about 15 minutes.
By hand: You can knead the dough with your bare hands until the dough is smooth.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour and a half.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and cut it into two equal parts. Mix half of the dough with sun-dried tomatoes and the other half with olives.
Oil two baking trays with olive oil (I used one large baking tray instead, please see the pictures) and pat the dough out onto the tray/s so it’s about 1 cm thick. Brush some warm water and extra virgin olive oil on to the top of the dough and sprinkle the sun-dried tomato focaccia with rock salt and dried oregano, and the olive focaccia with rock salt and rosemary.
Let rise for another 30 minutes.
Bake the focaccia in a preheated oven to 200ºC for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Tips
• Never mix directly salt and yeast, as salt inhibits yeast growth
• The amount of water required may vary depending on flour type and humidity

Focaccia con Olive e Pomodori Secchi

Ingredienti (per due focacce)
• Farina 500g
• Acqua 140g
• Latte 150g
• Zucchero 1 cucchiaino raso
• Sale 2 cucchiaini rasi
• Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva
• 2 cucchiani rasi di lievito di birra disidratato sciolti in circa 340 grammi di acqua tiepida
• Olive e Pomodori Secchi
• Rosmarino
• Origano

Preparazione
Sciogliere il lievito e lo zucchero nel latte tiepido e lasciare riposare per 10-15 minuti. Versare quindi nell`impastatrice e aggiungere la farina e 2 cucchiai di olio extra vergine di oliva. Iniziare ad impastare aggiungendo gradatamente l`acqua. Aggiungere il sale e continuare ad impastare per circa 15 minuti, o fino a quando il composto non risulta essere liscio ed elastico.
Se non avete un kitchen mixer potete impastare a mano.
Riversare il composto su un piano di lavoro infarinato e impastare brevemente.
Rimettere la pasta nel contenitore dell`impastatrice, coprire con della pellicola alimentare, e mettere a lievitare in un luogo lontano da correnti e possibilmente riscaldato. Lasciare levitare per circa 45 minuti, o fino a quando la pasta sara` raddoppiata di volume. Riversare il composto sul piano di lavoro e sgonfiare la pasta con le mani dando dei piccoli pugni. Ripiegare il panetto di pasta e riporlo di nuovo a lievitare per circa 30 minuti.
Stendere la pasta in una teglia oleata, bagnare la superficie con un po` d`acqua tiepida. Schiacciare un po` la pasta formando piccolo fossette, cospargere di sale a piacere e olio extra vergine di oliva. Aggiungere rosmarino o olive a seconda dei gusti. Mettere in forno caldo (200°) per circa 15 minuti..

Home Made Egg Fettuccine (Fettuccine di pasta all'uovo)

2009-04-27T19:04:00.049+01:00

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Plain Flour, 400g
Eggs, 4
Pinch of salt

On a surface or board, make a well on the flour and pour the eggs into it. Add a pinch of salt and mix together. Knead the pasta dough until it is elastic. Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge to rest for half an hour.

Flour the surface and the rolling pin, and roll out the dough to a very thin sheet, flouring the surface if required. Roll the sheet into a roll. Cut about 1 cm slices from the roll.
Unroll the strips, flour liberally with semolina and dry for at least 15 minutes before using.

Fettuccine all’uovo (4 Persone)

Ingredienti

Farina OO
Uova, 4
Un pizzico di sale

Su una spianatoia mettere la farina a fontana. Fare un incavo al centro e versarvi le uova ed un pizzico di sale. Cominciare ad impastare fino ad ottenere un composto liscio ed elastico. Avvolgere la pasta in un foglio di pellicola trasparente e trasferire in frigo a riposare per circa mezz’ora.
Stendere la pasta con il mattarello fino a formare una sfoglia molto sottile. Arrotolarla su se stessa e tagliarla con una lama liscia ed affilata in fettine larghe circa 1 centimetro.
Allargare le fettuccine sul piano di lavoro e cospargere con del semolino per evitare che si incolli. Lasciare asciugare per almeno 15 minuti prima di utilizzare. .

Italian Wine Biscuits (Ciambelline al Vino)

2009-04-21T20:55:00.040+01:00

Ingredients

Plain Flour, 500g
Sugar, 200g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 small glass (the size of a small white wine glass, not too full)
White Wine, 1 small glass (the size of a small white wine glass, not too full)
Baking Powder, 3 tsp
Pinch of salt

In a bowl combine all ingredients together until it forms a soft dough. Divide the dough into small pieces (approx. 25 grams each), roll each piece into a rope and pinch the edges together to form a ring. Dip one side in sugar. Bake the rings on a baking sheet in a preheated 180°C oven for about 15 minutes.

Ciambelline al vino bianco

Ingredienti

Farina, 500g
Zucchero, 200g
Olio extra vergine di oliva, 1 small glass
Vino bianco, 1 small glass
Lievito per dolci, 3 cucchiaini
Un pizzico di sale

Impastare tutti gli ingredienti, formare le ciambelline e passarle nello zucchero soltanto da un lato. Trasferire in forno preriscaldato a 180°C per circa 15 minuti.

Savoiardi Biscuits (Sponge-Fingers)

2009-04-18T20:11:00.032+01:00

This is Salvatore De Riso`s recipe. Salvatore De Riso, based on the Amalfi Coast, is probably the finest pastry chef in Italy (and a celebrity chef too). I saw him a couple of months ago on TV making Savoiardi Biscuits, and since then I haven`t stopped thinking about these little delicacies, which I finally made today.

Ingredients

• Plain flour 130g
• Cornstarch 60g
• Caster sugar 200g
• Egg yolks 6
• Egg whites 6
• Grated zest and juice of a lemon
• Pinch of salt
• Icing Sugar
• 1 Vanilla pod

Method

Whip the egg whites with 100g of caster sugar and half of the lemon juice until stiff peaks and set aside. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks, the remaining lemon juice, the grated lemon zest, the vanilla seeds and a pinch of salt for 10-15 minutes. Incorporate the sieved flour and cornstarch gradually into the mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites, working with upward movements to get as much air as possible into the bowl. Stop as soon as the whites are fully incorporated. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a 1.5 cm plain tube, with the mixture, and pipe 10 cm fingers onto prepared trays. Dust with icing sugar and let it rest for 5 minutes. Dust with icing sugar again and bake for 20 minutes.

Savoiardi (Ricetta di Salvatore De Riso)

Ingredienti

• Farina 130g
• Fecola 60g
• Zucchero 200g
• Tuorli 6
• Albumi 6
• Scorza grattugiata e succo di un limone
• 1 Pizzico di sale
• Zucchero a velo vanigliato
• 1 Bacca di vaniglia

Metodo

Montare gli albumi con 100g di zucchero e meta` del succo di limone e mettere in frigorifero. Montare per 10-15 minuti i tuorli con 100g di zucchero, la scorza grattugiata ed il rimanente succo di limone, un pizzico di sale ed i semi della bacca di vaniglia. Incorporate la farina e la fecola setacciate con una spatula dall`alto verso il basso, facendo attenzione a non far smontare il composto. Unire gli albumi montati delicatamente, sempre con movimenti dall`alto verso il basso. Utilizzando una tasca da pasticceria con bocchetta rotonda liscia di 1,5 cm di diametro, formare dei bastoncini lunghi 10 cm che distribuirete su una placca ricoperta di carta da forno. Cospargere di zucchero a velo. Attendere 5 minuti e cospargerli di nuovo di zucchero a velo. Infornare in forno preriscaldato a 160°C per 20 minuti.

Easter Dove (Colomba Pasquale)

2009-04-05T19:00:00.028+01:00

These traditional Easter holiday loaves are made in several steps. I use my mother 2-step recipe. We recommend doing step one on the evening of the first day, and step 2 in the morning of the next day. Happy Easter Everyone, Buona Pasqua.

Ingredients – Makes 2 loaves

For the Colomba loaves
· 2 dove-shaped paper baking moulds
· Flour, approx 450g
· Eggs, 4
· Caster sugar, 200g
· Butter, 100g
· Fresh yeast, 50g
· Milk, half a glass
· Vanilla essence
· Grated zest of a lemon and an orange
· Chopped candied orange peel
· `Strega` liquor, a shot glass
· Pinch of salt

For the Glaze
· Egg whites, 2, lightly beaten
· Whole almonds
· Sucre perlé

Method

Step 1
With an electric beater, whisk the eggs and the sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the softened butter, the vanilla essence and the grated zests and continue beating. Dissolve the fresh yeast in the lukewarm milk and add to the mixture. Slowly start incorporating the flour (don`t forget to add a pinch of salt), until the dough is soft and a little sticky. The consistency of the dough should be quite soft, so in case it becomes too hard, stop adding flour. Transfer the dough on a floured surface and work for about 15 minutes. Cover with cling film and let rise for about 8-10 hours.

Step 2
Add the liquor and the chopped candied orange peel to the mixture and work for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into two parts and transfer each half into a paper baking mould. Let rise again until the dough nearly rises to the top of each mould. Glaze the two loaves with the lightly beaten egg whites. Sprinkle with the sucre perlé and the almonds and transfer to a preheated oven to 160ºC for 30-40 minutes.

Colomba Pasquale

Ingredienti (per 2 colombe)

Per le Colombe
· Farina 450g circa
· Uova 4
· Zucchero 200g
· Burro 100g
· Lievito di birra fresco 50g
· Latte mezzo bicchiere
· Vanillina 2 bustine
· Scorza grattugiata di un limone e di un arancia
· Canditi 100g
· Liquore `Strega` 1 bicchierino
· Un pizzico di sale

Per la Glassa
· Albumi d`uovo 2
· Mandorle
· Granella di zucchero

Metodo

Prima lievitazione
In un recipiente piuttosto capiente, con uno sbattitore elettrico, montare le uova con lo zucchero. Aggiungere il burro ammorbidito a pezzetti, la vanillina e le scorze grattugiate degli agrumi e continuare a montare. Sciogliere il lievito nel latte tiepido ed unire al composto. Iniziare ad incorporare lentamente la farina (ricordatevi di aggiungere un pizzico di sale) fino ad ottenere un composto che potrete lavorare su un piano di lavoro. Il composto deve risultare morbido e leggermente appiccicoso, quindi una volta arrivati a questo stadio, nel caso vi fosse rimasta della farina, non continuate ad aggiungerne. Lavorare per almeno 15 minuti e lasciare livitare in un posto tiepido e lontano da correnti per 8-10 ore.

Seconda lievitazione
Aggiungere il resto degli ingredienti (liquore e canditi) e lavorare il composto brevemente prima di sistemarlo in due stampi di carta per colomba. Far lievitare di nuovo fino a che il composto sarà ad un paio di cm. dal bordo dello stampo. Montare leggermente gli albumi e stendere sulla superficie della colomba. Cospargere di mandorle e granella di zucchero. Inforare a forno preriscaldato a 160 C per 30-40 minuti.

Baci di Dama

2009-04-05T16:30:00.025+01:00

Ingredients

• Plain flour 350g
• Caster sugar 140g
• Softened Butter 140g
• Hazelnuts, finely ground 100g
• Almonds, finely ground 100g
• 1 egg yolk
• Pinch of salt
• Chocolate 80g
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, softened butter, hazelnuts, almonds, a pinch of salt and the egg yolk. Wrap in cling film and transfer to the fridge for an hour at least. Shape into little balls and bake for 15 minutes, oven 170 ºC. Let cool on a tray. When cooled, melt the chocolate, take two pieces and stick them together with a bit of chocolate in the middle. Dust with icing sugar.

Baci di Dama

Ingredienti

• Farina 00 350g
• Zucchero 140g
• Burro ammorbidito 140g
• Nocciole tritate 100g
• Mandorle tritate 100g
• Un tuorlo d'uovo
• Un pizzico di sale
• Cioccolato 80g
• Zucchero a velo

Metodo

In una ciotola mescolare la farina, lo zucchero, il burro ammorbidito, le nocciole, le mandorle, un pizzico di sale ed il tuorlo d'uovo. Avvolgere in pellicola alimentare e trasferire in frigo per almeno un'ora. Fare delle piccole palline con la pasta ottenuta, e mettere in forno per 15 minuti a 170 ºC. Lasciare raffreddare. Fondere il cioccolato, ed unire due palline con un po' di cioccolato nel mezzo. Spolverizzare con dello zucchero a velo..

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce (Panna Cotta alla Salsa di Lamponi)

2009-03-29T16:01:00.051+01:00

Ingredients (Serves 6)

For the panna cotta
• Fresh double cream 600g
• Semi-skimmed milk 200g
• Caster sugar 200g
• Dissolving leaf gelatine 12g
• Vanilla pod, halved and seeds removed

For the raspberry sauce
• Raspberries 250g
• Caster sugar 110g

Method
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Place the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla seeds in a pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat. Squeeze the gelatine leaves and stir into the cream mixture until dissolved. Divide the panna cotta between 6 pudding moulds and transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours before serving. To serve, dip the moulds into hot water for 10 seconds, then turn out onto plates. Decorate with the sauce and the raspberries. For the sauce: Blend the raspberries and the sugar until smooth then pass through a fine sieve.

Panna Cotta con Salsa di Lamponi

Ingredienti (Per 6 persone)
• Panna fresca 600g
• Latte parzialmente scremato 200g
• Zucchero 200g
• Colla di pesce 12g
• Stecca di vaniglia

Per la salsa ai lamponi
• Lamponi 250g
• Zucchero 110g

Metodo
Mattere la colla di pesce in ammollo in acqua fredda per 5 minuti. In un tegame portare ad ebollizione il latte e la panna con lo zucchero e la vaniglia. Far bollire per 3 minuti, togliere dal fuoco, aggiungere la gelatina strizzata e far sciogliere completamente. Versare il composto in stampi o in un una tortiera e passare in frigo per almeno 6 ore prima di servire. Per la salsa: frullare i lamponi con lo zucchero, e passare in un colino per eliminare i semi.

Belated... Saint Joseph Day Pastry Puffs (Zeppole di San Giuseppe)

2009-03-25T22:50:00.023Z

`Zeppole di San Giuseppe` are traditionally made on 19 March, Saint Joseph`s Day (Father`s Day) in Italy. There isn`t a unique recipe for these super yummy pastries, as every Italian region – or town – makes them in a different way.
In some parts of Italy for example, Zeppole are fried in olive oil but I prefer the lighter version, so I bake them in the oven instead, with excellent results.
Finally please be aware that the most important ingredient in this recipe is wild cherries in heavy syrup. For best result please use the best you can find in the market.

Ingredients

For the Pastry Puffs (about 12)

Water 300g
Plain Flour 225g
Butter 140g
Eggs 350g
Pinch of Salt
Wild Cherries in heavy syrup
Icing Sugar

For the Crema Pasticcera

Whole Milk 500g
Half vanilla pod
Egg Yolks 4
Caster sugar 120g
Flour 50g

Method

First of all prepare the Crema Pasticcera. In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the half vanilla pod. Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some clingfilm over the surface and chill. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming.

For the Pastry Puffs

Place the butter, the pinch of salt and the water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. When the butter is melt remove from the heat, add all of the flour in one go, and stir for about 5 minutes or until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan clean. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer the dough into an electric mixer (if you don`t have one you can use a hand mixer), and whilst beating, add the eggs one by one, mixing each time until well blended. You need to make sure that each egg is completely absorbed before adding the next one (this should take about 10-15 minutes). When all the eggs are absorbed the dough should be ready.
Pipe the dough into a greased baking tray to make rings. Bake in a preheated oven to 220° C for about 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the shells dry out for a further 10-15 minutes with the oven door slightly open. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Pipe the crema pasticcera over the puff pastries, decorate with a wild cherry and dust with icing sugar.

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Ingredienti

Per le Zeppole
• Acqua 300g
• Farina 225g
• Burro 140g
• Uova 350g
• Un pizzico di sale
• Amarene sciroppate
• Zucchero a velo

Crema Pasticciera

• 500 g di latte intero
• Mezzo baccello di vaniglia
• Uova 4 tuorli
• 120 g di zucchero
• 50 g di farina

Crema Pasticcera

Versare il latte in un pentolino e aggiungere il baccello di vaniglia tagliato a metà nel senso della lunghezza e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata e amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Coprire la crema con della pellicola alimentare per evitare la formazione di pellicina e far raffreddare.

Preparazione Zeppole

In una pentola mettere a bollire l`acqua con il burro ed un pizzico di sale. Portare ad ebollizione. Togliere dal fuoco e versare la farina setacciata in un solo colpo, mescolando energicamente.
Rimettere ila pentola sul fuoco mescolando il composto fino a che non si stacchera` dai bordi della pentola. Togliere dal fuoco e lasciare raffreddare.
Trasferire in un kitchen mixer (oppure usare uno sbattitore elettrico) e sbattere il composto aggiungendo un uovo alla volta, assicurandosi che ogni uovo venga ben assorbito prima di aggiungere il successivo. Sbattere il compost per una decina di minuti.
Su una placca da forno imburrata, con una sacca da pasticcere formare dei cerchi di pasta. Trasferire nel forno preriscaldato a 220 ° C per circa 20 minuti. Spegnere il forno e laciare le zeppole in forno per 15 minuti lasciando lo sportesso socchiuso. Togliere dal forno e lasciare raffreddare.
Con la tasca da pasticcere ricoprire di crema pasticcera, decorare con un`amarena sciroppata e spolverizzare con dello zucchero a velo.

Amaretti Semifreddo with Espresso Coffee (Semifreddo agli Amaretti e Caffe`)

2009-03-23T18:54:00.024Z

I got this recipe from the Italian chef Anna Moroni. The main ingredient is Amaretti, the crunchy and crispy biscuits originating from the Italian city of Saronno – in the Lombardy Region.

Ingredients – Serves 6 people

• Amaretti Biscuits 200g
• Espresso Coffee 1 (a single, strong Espresso)
• Cognac 2 tbsp
• Eggs 5
• Caster Sugar 5 tbsp
• Fresh Whipping Cream 300g

Whip the fresh cream until stiff peaks.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites and whip the whites until stiff peaks.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the sugar together until they are soft and light.. Add the crushed Amaretti, the coffee and the Cognac to the mixture and mix well.
Gently fold in the whipped cream and the whipped egg whites.
Pour the mixture into a mould or into single sized ones, and transfer into the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.
Decorate with whipped cream, chocolate and Amaretti buiscuits.

Semifreddo agli Amaretti e Caffe`

Ingredienti – Per 6 persone

• Amaretti 200g
• 1 tazzina di caffe` ristretto
• Cognac 2 cucchiai
• Uova 5
• Zucchero 5 cucchiai
• Panna fresco liquida 300g

Separare gli albumi dai tuorli, montare a neve ferma e mettere in frigo. Montare anche la panna e mettere in frigo. Montare i tuorli con lo zucchero fino ad ottenere un compost spumoso al quale aggiungerete gli amaretti sbriciolati, il caffe` ed in cognac. Aggiungere la panna e gli albumi montati, facendo attenzione a non smontare il composto. Versare in uno stampo e mettere in freezer per almeno 3 ore prima di servire (io ho usato stampini individuali). Guarnire a piacere con cioccolato, amaretti e panna. .

Mini Milk Bread Rolls with Poppy Seeds (Panini al latte con Semi di Papavero)

2009-03-22T19:56:00.030Z

Ideal to be served as party canapés. Your friends will be impressed by the look and taste of these simple, yet delicious, Italian Mini Panini al Latte imbottiti.

Milk Mini Bread Rolls with Poppy Seeds (Panini al latte con Semi di Papavero) - This recipe makes approx 30 mini rolls.

Ingredients

• Plain Flour 500g
• Butter 50g
• Dried Active Yeast 1 level tbsp (15g)
• Whole Milk Approx 320g
• Sugar 2 tsp
• Salt 2 tsp
• Egg 1
• Poppy seeds

Method

In a jug, dissolve 2 tsps of sugar in 150g of warm milk. Sprinkle with 15g (1 level tbsp) of yeast and whisk thoroughly. Leave in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 mins).

. If using a kitchen mixer: Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier), add the rest of the warm milk and the liquefied butter and start mixing the ingredients together adding the flour gradually. Add the salt and mix the dough for about 15 minutes.Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead for about 5 minutes.

By hand: You can knead the dough with your bare hands until the dough is smooth.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about one hour and a half.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and cut into little balls, weighting approx 25 grams each (about a walnut size). This recipe makes approx 30 dough balls. Work each dough ball into a round shape and place onto a greased baking tray. Brush with warm milk and leave in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.

Brush the dough balls again with the beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake for approx 13-15 minutes in a preheated oven to 200ºC or until the top of the bread rolls is golden brown.

Leave to cool on a wire rack and fill with your favourite ingredients – buffalo mozzarella, artichoke hearts, Parma Ham, etc.

Tips
• Never mix directly salt and yeast, as salt inhibits yeast growth
• The amount of water required may vary depending on flour type and humidity

Panini al latte con Semi di Papavero

Ingredienti – Approx 30 mini Panini

• Farina `00` 500g
• Burro 50g
• Lievito di birra disidratato 2 cucchiani rasi
• Latte intero Approx 320g
• Sale 2 cucchiaini
• Zucchero 2 cucchiaini
• 1 Uovo
• Semi di Papavero

Preparazione
Sciogliere il lievito e lo zucchero in 150 grammi di latte tiepido e lasciare riposare per 10-15 minuti. Versare quindi nell`impastatrice e aggiungere il burro liquefatto ed il resto del latte tiepido. Iniziare ad impastare aggiungendo gradatamente la farina. Aggiungere il sale e continuare ad impastare per circa 15 minuti, o fino a quando il composto non risulta essere liscio ed elastico.

Se non avete un kitchen mixer potete impastare a mano.

Riversare il composto su un piano di lavoro infarinato ed impastare brevemente. Rimettere la pasta nel contenitore dell`impastatrice, coprire con della pellicola alimentare, e mettere a lievitare in un luogo lontano da correnti e possibilmente riscaldato. Lasciare levitare per circa un`ora e mezza.

Riversare il composto sul piano di lavoro e formare delle palline di pasta di circa 25 grammi ciascuna. La dimensione e` piu` o meno quella di una noce. Spennellare con del latte tiepido e mettere di nuovo a lievitare in un posto caldo e lontano da correnti per 30 minuti.

Finita la seconda lievitazione, spennellare con dell`uovo battuto, e mettere in forno a 200ºC per 13-15 minuti, o fino a che i panini iniziano a dorarsi.

Riempire nel modo desiderato. .

Ricotta and Chocolate Tart (Crostata Ricotta e Cioccolato)

2009-03-22T09:40:00.021Z

This tart originates from the old Roman ghetto and can be found almost anywhere in Rome and in the Lazio region where I come from. It is delicious and simple to make. My work colleagues love it…

Ingredients

For the Shortcut Pastry
• Plain flour 200g (I use the `00` type)
• Unsalted good quality butter 100g, plus extra for greasing
• Icing sugar 50g
• 2 Free-range egg yolks
• Cold water
• Pinch of salt
• Grated zest of a lemon

For the Filling
• Ricotta cheese 400g
• 2 Free-range egg yolks
• Caster Sugar 100g
• Grated zest of a lemon
• Vanilla essence
• Fresh double cream 2-3 tbs
• Diced dark chocolate approx 100g

Method

For the Pastry:
On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required.
Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

For the Filling:
Place the ricotta in a sieve to drain off any excess water. Whip the 2 egg whites and set aside. In a bowl, mix the sieved ricotta with the sugar, the lemon zest, the vanilla essence, the double cream and the diced chocolate. Finally gently fold in the egg whites into the mixture.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the pastry in a 25 cm tart tin, pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry, and reserve the trimmings. Spread the ricotta filling inside the tart base and smooth over evenly. Roll out the pastry trimmings, cut into strips or into your favourite shapes and lay over the tart. Bake in the oven for approx 35 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden colour. Leave to cool completely before serving. Dust with icing sugar.

Crostata Ricotta e Cioccolato

Ingredienti

Pasta Frolla
• Farina `00` 200g
• Burro 100g
• Zucchero a velo 50g
• 2 tuorli d`uovo
• Acqua fredda
• Un pizzico di sale
• La buccia grattugiata di un limone

Ripieno di Ricotta e Cioccolato
• Ricotta 400 g
• Uova intere 2
• Zucchero 100g
• Scorza grattugiata limone
• 2/3 cucchiai di panna liquida
• Essenza di vaniglia
• Cioccolato fondente a pezzetti (circa 100g)

Metodo
Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli e la buccia del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.
Per il ripieno: Separare gli albumi dai tuorli e montare a neve ben ferma. Lavorare bene la ricotta ed incorporare tutti gli altri ingredienti. Incorporare gli albumi montati a neve, facendo attenzione a non smontare il composto.
Disponete ora la pasta frolla in una tortiera di circa 25 cm dopo averne mantenuta una piccola parte che servira' a realizzare piccole strisce (o una composizione floreale – vedi foto) da posare sopra la crostata.
Versare sulla pasta l'impasto alla ricotta, livellarlo bene e posarci sopra le striscioline di pasta frolla.
Infornare in forno precedentemente riscaldato a 180° C per circa 35 minuti, a seconda della potenza del forno. La crostata deve infatti mantenersi abbastanza morbida e dorata. Far raffreddare e spolverare con zucchero a velo..

Tea Time

2009-03-19T09:53:00.007Z

Whipped Shortbread Biscuits

Ingredients

• Plain Flour 500g
• Soft Butter 350g
• Icing Sugar 180g
• Eggs 100g
• Lemon zest
• Vanilla essence
• A pinch of salt
• Dark Chocolate

. Method

In a kitchen mixer, combine butter, icing sugar, lemon zest and vanilla essence and beat for about 10 minutes. Gradually add the eggs and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually fold in the flour and mix well. Pipe the mixture onto a greased baking tray and transfer to the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven (180°C), or until the bottoms of the biscuits are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and transfer on to a cooling rack. Melt the chocolate on bain-marie. Round biscuits: sprinkle with icing sugar and then drizzle with the melted chocolate. Oblong biscuits: Dip one end in the melted chocolate. Transfer on to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Biscotti di pasta frolla montata

Ingredienti
• Burro a temperature ambiente 350g
• Zucchero al velo 180g
• Uova 100g
• Farina 500g
• 1 pizzico di sale
• Scorza grattugiata di un limone
• Vaniglia
• Cioccolato per la copertura

In un kitchen mixer montare il burro con lo zucchero, la scorza grattugiata di un limone, la vaniglia e un pizzico di sale, fino ad ottenere un composto liscio e spumoso. Aggiungere le uova e continare a montare il composto. Aggiungere infine la farina setacciata gradatamente. Con una sac a poche con bocchetta a stella formare dei biscotti della forma voluta direttamente su una teglia imburrata. Trasferire in frigo per almeno 30 minuti prima di infornare.Cuocere per circa 10-12 minuti in forno preriscaldato a 175 gradi. Per la copertura: Sciogliere il cioccolato a bagno maria e ricoprire i biscotti nel modo desiderato.

Jam Shortbread Biscuits

Ingredients • Plain flour (I use the `00` type) 200g
• Unsalted good quality butter 100g, plus extra for greasing
• Icing sugar 50g
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• Cold water
• A pinch of salt
• Zest of a lemon
• Your favourite jam

Method On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using. Roll out the dough into desired thickness. For each biscuit, cut out two stars or hearts, etc. Cut out the centre of one of them with a smaller cutter. Place each piece on a lightly greased baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven (180 C) until lightly browned (7 to 8 minutes). Cool completely on wire rack. Fill the biscuits with your favourite jam, spreading a layer of jam on the bottom biscuit before placing the other biscuit on top. Sprinkle with icing sugar.
Biscottini di pasta frolla e marmellata

Ingredienti
• Farina `00` 200g
• Burro di buona qualita` 100g - ed un po` per imburrare
• Zucchero a velo 50g
• 2 Tuorli d`uovo
• Acqua fredda
• Un pizzico di sale
• La buccia grattugiata di un limone
• Marmellata
Metodo
Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli, la buccia del limone ed un pizzico di sale e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per almeno 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla. Stendere la pasta. Ritagliare con i tagliabiscotti metà biscotti pieni e metà biscotti con il buco in mezzo e cuocere in forno a 180° C per circa 10 minuti. Spalmare la marmellata sul biscotto pieno e unire al biscotto con il buco, ed infine spolverizzare di zucchero a velo..

Italian Focaccia

2009-03-16T11:32:00.009Z

Ingredients
• Plain Flour 400g (I mix 100g of Canadian strong flour with 300g of `00` flour)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Dried Active Yeast 1 level tbsp (15g)
• Water Approx 340g
• Sugar 1 tsp
• Salt
• Rosemary or Olives

Method
In a jug, dissolve 1 tsp of sugar in 340g of warm water. Sprinkle with 15g (1 level tbsp) of yeast and whisk thoroughly. Leave in a warm place until the surface is covered with approx. 2 cm of froth (10-15 mins). . If using a kitchen mixer: Pour the yeast mixture into the kitchen mixer bowl (I use a Kenwood Patissier), add two generous spoons of extra virgin olive oil and start mixing the ingredients together adding the flour gradually. Add the salt and mix the dough for about 15 minutes.
By hand: You can knead the dough with your bare hands until the dough is smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead to knock out any air pocketsfold. Form the dough into a round, place in the bowl again and let rise for another 30 minutes.
Oil the baking tray with some olive oil and then pat the dough out onto the tray so it’s about 1 cm thick. Brush some warm water and extra virgin olive oil on to the top of the dough. You can cook the dough as it is or sprinkle it with rock salt, rosemary or olives.
Bake the focaccia in a preheated oven to 200ºC for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips
• Never mix directly salt and yeast, as salt inhibits yeast growth
• The amount of water required may vary depending on flour type and humidity
• If you don`t have `00` flour, just use good quality plain flour

Focaccia
Ingredienti
• 400 gr farina (100g di manitoba e 300g di farina `00`)
• Olio extra vergine di oliva
• 1 cucchiaino di zucchero
• 2 cucchiaini di sale
• Rosmarino o Olive
• Sale grosso
• 2 cucchiani rasi di lievito di birra disidratato sciolti in circa 340 grammi di acqua tiepida
Preparazione
Sciogliere il lievito e lo zucchero nell`acqua tiepida e lasciare riposare per 10-15 minuti. Versare quindi nell`impastatrice e aggiungere 2 cucchiai di olio extra vergine di oliva. Iniziare ad impastare aggiungendo gradatamente la farina. Aggiungere il sale e continuare ad impastare per circa 15 minuti, o fino a quando il composto non risulta essere liscio ed elastico.
Se non avete un kitchen mixer potete impastare a mano.

Riversare il composto su un piano di lavoro infarinato ed impastare brevemente. Rimettere la pasta nel contenitore dell`impastatrice, coprire con della pellicola alimentare, e mettere a lievitare in un luogo lontano da correnti e possibilmente riscaldato. Lasciare levitare per circa 45 minuti, o fino a quando la pasta sara` raddoppiata di volume. Riversare il composto sul piano di lavoro e sgonfiare la pasta con le mani dando dei piccoli pugni. Ripiegare il panetto di pasta e riporlo di nuovo a lievitare per circa 30 minuti.
Stendere la pasta in una teglia oleata, bagnare la superficie con un po` d`acqua tiepida. Schiacciare un po` la pasta formando piccolo fossette, cospargere di sale a piacere e olio extra vergine di oliva. Aggiungere rosmarino o olive a seconda dei gusti. Mettere in forno caldo (200°) per circa 15 minuti.
.

Pesche Dolci - Italian Pastries

2009-03-15T18:53:00.012Z

Pesche dolci pastries get their name from peach resemblance (pesche means peaches). They are quite popular in the Italian region of Lazio. I got this recipe from Federica, a friend of mine that lives in Viterbo, near the town where I grew up – Montefiascone.

Ingredients
• Plain Flour 600g
• Caster Sugar 300g
• Butter 100g
• Eggs 4
• Vanilla essence
• 1 sachet of Pane Degli Angeli or a similar instant leavening agent for desserts
• Alkermes Liquor
• Crema Pasticcera
• Nutella

Crema Pasticcera
• 500g whole milk
• Half vanilla pod
• 4 egg yolks
• 120g caster sugar
• 50g flour

First of all prepare the Crema Pasticcera. In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod. Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some clingfilm over the surface and chill. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming.
Grease an oven tray and preheat the oven to 180C. Put the eggs and sugar into a food mixer and whisk for about 10-15 minutes. Add the liquefied butter and the vanilla essence and continue to whisk to obtain a soft and creamy mixture. Sift the flour. Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture.

Make little dough balls (approx. 20 grams each) and place them onto the greesed oven tray. Cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down a little bit. Make a little whole into each peach half, and fill one with Crema Pasticcera and one with Nutella. Join the two halves together. Brush each peach with Alkermes liquor and sprikle generously with granulated sugar.

Place the peaches in cupcake cases and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.

Pesche Dolci

E` un dolce molto popolare nella regione Lazio. Questa ricetta e` di Federica, una mia amica che vive a Viterbo - mentre io sono cresciuta a Montefiascone, a pochi chilometri da Viterbo.

Pesche Dolci

Ingredienti
• Farina `00` 600g
• Zucchero 300g
• Burro 100g
• Uova 4
• Essenza di vaniglia
• 1 sacchetto di lievito per dolci Pane Degli Angeli o simile
• Alkermes
• Crema Pasticcera
• Nutella

Crema Pasticciera
• 500 g di latte intero
• Mezzo baccello di vaniglia
• 100 g di tuorli (circa 4)
• 120 g di zucchero
• 50 g di farina

Versare il latte in un pentolino e aggiungere il baccello di vaniglia tagliato a metà nel senso della lunghezza e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata e amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Coprire la crema con della pellicola alimentare per evitare la formazione di pellicina e far raffreddare.

Pesche Dolci Lavorate molto bene le uova, lo zucchero e la vanillina fino ad ottenere un composto gonfio e spumoso. Incorporate tutti gli altri ingredienti fino ad ottenere un impasto omogeneo e morbido. Formate tante palline (grandi come una noce) e distribuitele sulla placca del forno imburrata. Cuocete le mezze pesche a 180° per circa 8 minuti. Tutte le infornate seguenti devono cuocere in forno solo per 5 minuti. Sfornarle e farle raffreddare. Con un cucchiaino scavare un pochino le sfere dal lato piano, riempirle con crema pasticcera o nutella (o tutti e due!). Unire le due sfere per formare una pesca. Bagnarle con alchermes puro o diluito e rotolarle nello zucchero.

Pastry Horns with Crema Pasticcera (Cannoncini alla Crema Pasticcera)

2009-03-15T18:19:00.009Z

Cannoncini alla Crema Pasticcera remind me of the summer days spent in Sardinia (how beautiful!). The Bar Five Sisters in Assemini, near Cagliari, makes the best Cannoncini I have ever had... Summer is still a few months away, so for the time being let`s cheer up with these delicious Cannoncini!

Ingredients
• Ready rolled Puff Pastry (a pack of approx. 375g)
• Crema Pasticcera
• Caster sugar
• Icing sugar
• Cold water

Crema Pasticcera
• Whole milk 500g
• Half vanilla pod
• Egg yolks 4
• Caster sugar 120
• Flour 50g

First of all prepare the Crema Pasticcera. In a saucepan, bring the milk slowly to the boil with the vanilla pod. Allow to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod, scraping the seeds back into the milk. In a bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar. Sift the plain flour and mix thoroughly. Pour the milk onto the egg mix whisking continuously. Return to a clean pan and stir with a wooden spatula to the boil over a gentle heat until it starts to thicken, then using a whisk stir to ensure it is of a smooth texture. Place some clingfilm over the surface and chill. The clingfilm will prevent a skin from forming.

Pastry Horns
With a pointed knife cut the puff pastry sheet lengthways into about 1-cm ribbons. Wind each pastry ribbon around a cream horn tin starting at the tip, slightly overlapping along the edge. Place on a baking sheet and chill for about 30 minutes. Brush every pastry horn with cold water, and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 for about 12 minutes until crisp and golden. Allow to cool then carefully remove the fins. Cool on a wire rack. Pipe some Crema Pasticcera inside the pastry horns and dust with icing sugar.

Cannoncini alla Crema Pasticcera
I Cannoncini alla Crema Pasticcera mi ricordano i giorni d`estate passati nella meravigliosa Sardegna. C`e` un Bar ad Assemini, vicino Cagliari, che fa dei cannoncini unici.. L`estate e` ancora lontana, quindi consoliamoci con questi deliziosi cannoncini!
PS Il bar si chiama Five Sisters

Ingredienti
• Un foglio di Pasta Sfoglia gia` pronta (circa 375g)
• Crema Pasticcera
• Zucchero
• Zucchero a velo
• Acqua fredda

Crema Pasticciera
• 500 g di latte intero
• Mezzo baccello di vaniglia
• 100 g di tuorli (circa 4)
• 120 g di zucchero
• 50 g di farina

Versare il latte in un pentolino e aggiungere il baccello di vaniglia tagliato a metà nel senso della lunghezza e portare a bollore. Togliere la pentola dal fuoco e lasciare in infusione per almeno 30 minuti, in modo che la vaniglia rilasci tutto il suo aroma. Filtrare il tutto in una pentola pulita. Lavorare i tuorli con lo zucchero, aggiungere la farina setacciata e amalgamare il tutto con cura. Rimettere il latte sul fuoco e, prima che raggiunga il bollore, toglierlo dal fuoco ed incominciare a versarlo a filo nel composto di tuorli mescolando velocemente. Rimettere la pentola sul fuoco e, mescolando di continuo con una spatola di legno, portare a cottura. Coprire la crema con della pellicola alimentare per evitare la formazione di pellicina e far raffreddare.

Preparazione dei Cannoncini
Tagliare delle striscioline di pasta sfoglia larghe circa 1 cm e arrotolarle nei coni di metallo partendo dalla punta. Disporre su una deglia da forno e riporre in frigo a riposare per circa 30 minuti. Spennellare i cannoncini con acqua fredda e spolverare con dello zucchero. Mettere in forno per 12 minuti circa a 120 gradi e togliere quando i cannoncini sono dorati. Raffreddare e riempire con la Crema Pasticcera. Cospargere di zucchero a velo.
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Italian Jam Crostata

2009-03-14T22:01:00.024Z

`Crostata alla marmellata` (Jam Crostata) is one of my mum`s favourite tarts. This recipe is so simple, that you cannot go wrong. However please make sure the butter is cold and be careful not to overwork the dough!

Ingredients

50g icing sugar
200g plain flour (I use the `00` type)
100g unsalted good quality butter, plus extra for greasing
2 free-range egg yolks
some cold water
pinch of salt
lemon zest
approx 400g of your favourite jam

Method

On a floured surface mix the flour and the butter cut into small pieces together. Mix in the icing sugar, the egg yolks and the lemon zest and work together very quickly to form the pastry dough. Add some cold water if required. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using.

Place the pastry in a 25 cm tart tin, pressing it gently around the sides. Trim all excess pastry, and reserve the trimmings. Spread the jam inside the tart base. Roll out the pastry trimmings, cut into strips and ay the strips over the tart. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden colour. Leave to cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!

Ingredienti

200g farina `00`
100g burro di buona qualita`
50g zucchero a velo
2 tuorli d`uovo
acqua fredda
un pizzico di sale
la buccia grattugiata di un limone
circa 400g marmellata

Metodo

Sbriciolare velocemente il burro nella farina. Aggiungere lo zucchero, i tuorli e la buccia del limone e lavorare velocemente. Aggiungere qualche cucchiaio di acqua fredda se necessario. Formate una palla, avvolgetela in pellicola per alimenti e tenetela in frigo per 30 minuti prima di utilizzarla.

Disponete la pasta frolla in una tortiera di circa 25 cm. Con una parte dell'impasto che avrete messo da parte, formare delle striscioline da mettere sopra dopo aver spalmato la marmellata. Mettere la crostata cosi' pronta in forno a circa 180 gradi per 40 min circa. Far raffreddare e servire.

2009-01-11T19:31:00.007Z

For any questions please email:

laurabroxholmroad@gmail.com

Thank you.

2009-01-11T18:33:00.018Z

2009-01-11T13:39:00.059Z

I am Italian, and a proud Londoner too.
I have a passion for great food, and I am here to share it with you.
Thank you for stopping by!

Sono Italiana, ed anche un`orgogliosa Londinese.
Ho una passione smisurata per il buon cibo, e sono qui per condividerla con voi.
Grazie per visitare questo blog!