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| Cicerchiata |
3 cups all purpose flour ,
4 extra large eggs,
1 tbsp. grated lemon rind,
4 cups vegetable oil,
1 cup honey,
2 cups whole hazelnuts,
4 squares (4 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, |
Place flour in a large bowl, make a well.
Add eggs and lemon rind. Mix.
Knead till dough is elastic, set aside for 30 minutes.
Take a small amount of dough and roll into a long strip, cut short lengths to form small balls.
In a deep fryer, cook dough pieces until golden.
Bring honey to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add chocolate, cook until melted.
Remove from heat and add nuts.
Coat balls in honey, chocolate and nut mixture.
In a tube pan, pile honey coated balls around sides.
Cool slightly and press balls together. |
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| Maccheroni with nuts pasta |
For 4 people:
300 g. of pasta,
70 g. of sugar,
200 g. walnuts,
50 g. of cocoa powder,
Lemon,
Cinnamon. |
Prepare tagliatelle pasta in the normal way by mixing flour and water without the use of eggs. Boil it in salty water.
Once done and drained sprinkle on the pasta cinnamon, walnut pieces, grated rind of a lemon and sweet cocoa powder.
There are no rules for the amount of each condiment and each is down to personal taste.
We would probably hold back on the cinnamon and add more nuts.
The pasta should then be mixed well and traditionally eaten cold. |
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| Zucchini with a Meatless Filling |
6 zucchini of the same size, weighing about 1 3/4 pounds (800 g) in all,
A medium onion,
2 ounces (50 g) Emmenthal cheese (substitute Swiss if need be),
A stale roll,
12 thin slices smoked pancetta (substitute regular pancetta if need be),
Grated Parmigiano,
An egg,
1 clove garlic,
2 tablespoons minced parsley,
1/2 a bullion cube,
3 tablespoons tomato sauce,
Olive oil,
Oregano,
Salt,
Pepper. |
My feelings upon reading the ingredients of this "meatless" zucchini filling, but Italians do consider pancetta and prosciutto to be seasonings, not meats. If you choose to make it without the smoked pancetta you can; increase the salt slightly to compensate and the end result will still be quite good. The recipe is, in any case, elegant, and will work nicely as a main course in summer. The ingredients above will serve 6.
Moisten the bread in some water, and gently squeeze it dry. Trim the ends of the zucchini, wash them, pat them dry, and core them, extracting the pulp from them so as to produce tubes. Mince the pulp with the onion, garlic, and parsley.
Sauté the minced pulp in three tablespoons of olive oil, peppering it to taste and crumbling the bullion into the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Gently squeeze the bread to remove the excess moisture and combine it with the sautéed vegetables, adding the egg, a pinch of salt, and 5 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano. Mix well.
While you are preparing the filling, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and boil the zucchini tubes for five minutes, then remove them and let them cool upright so they drain.
Preheat your oven to 440 F (220 C). Stuff the zucchini with the filling and wrap each with two of the pancetta slices, then lay them in a lightly oiled oven-proof dish. Sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons of oil and bake them for 15 minutes. In the meantime, shred the Emmenthal. When 15 minutes are up sprinkle the shredded cheese and the tomato sauce over the zucchini, dust everything with a healthy pinch of oregano, and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve hot. |
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| Fagioli all'uccelletto |
1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans or other large white beans,
1/2 onion,
1 celery rib,
1 quartered carrot,
1 peeled and lightly crushed quartered clove garlic,
1 bay leaf,
Salt.
3/4 cup tomato puree,
2 cloves garlic,
3 peeled and lightly crushed fresh sage leaves,
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,
Sea salt,
Black pepper. |
| Place the beans in a saucepan and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Let stand for 1 hour, then drain. Return the beans to the saucepan along with the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and bay leaf. Add water to cover by 2 inches. Slowly bring to a simmer over moderately low heat. (If you heat them too fast, the skins may break.) Adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are almost tender, 20 minutes or longer, depending on the age of the beans. Add salt to taste and continue cooking until the beans are tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat and let cool in the liquid. (You can prepare the beans to this point 1 to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate.) Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Drain the beans and discard the vegetables but reserve the liquid. In a casserole that can go from the stove top to the oven, combine the beans, 1 1/2 cups of the bean liquid, the tomato puree, garlic, sage, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, then transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, at a gentle simmer (adjust oven temperature if necessary) until the beans have absorbed the liquid, 45 minutes or more. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, taste for seasoning, and serve. |
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| Tiny honey-covered fritters |
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,
6 egg yolks,
1 egg,
1 zested lemon,
1 zested orange,
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt,
1 tablespoon limoncello,
4 cups canola oil, for frying,
2 cups honey,
1zested and juiced lemon,
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting,
Candied orange or lemon peel or sprinkles, for garnish, optional. |
In a mixer bowl, combine the flour, egg yolks, egg, zests, salt, and limoncello and mix well to form a firm dough, 8 to 10 minutes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
When the dough has rested, remove from refrigerator and cut into golf ball-size pieces. Roll each golf ball into a 1/2-inch-thick dowel and cut each dowel into 1/2-inch pieces. Roll each piece between palms into a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Heat the oil in 12 to 14-inch skillet with at least 3-inch sides to 375 degrees F. Drop balls into cover about half of the surface of the oil and cook until dark golden brown. Use a spider or slotted spoon to turn them regularly; they will puff up while cooking. When cooked, remove to a tray covered with paper towels and drain well. This should make at least 5 batches, so be patient.
When all of the struffoli are cooked, heat the honey, lemon juice, and zest together in a wide 6 to 8-quart saucepan until quite warm, about 150 degrees F, and substantially thinner.
Add the struffoli and stir carefully until well coated. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan, stirring regularly.
Pour out onto a large serving tray in the form of either a pyramid or a ring. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and any other choice of garnish. The struffoli should last a week or as long as your guests allow. |
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| Truffle croutons |
2 dL jelly broth,
50 gr. butter,
100 gr. grated parmesan,
12 lemon drops,
40 gr. acqualagna white truffle,
4 bread slices already toasted,
Salt,
Pepper. |
Melt the butter in the warm broth
Add the parmesan out of fire melting it vigourously; once well done add the lemon drops to the sauce.
Pour the sauce on the warm bread croutons and add the truffles seasoned with a pinch of salt and a "little turning" of grinding pepper machine.
Immediately serve them very warm. |
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| Pappardelle in hare sauce |
1 small hare, cleaned and cut into into 1" pieces,
2 1/4 cups dry red wine,
1 chopped celery stalk,
1 sliced onion,
1 bay leaf,
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns,
3 ounces fatty pork,
1 carrot,
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil,
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper,
1/2 cup beef broth,
1 pound pappardelle,
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano,
4 tablespoons unsalted butter. |
| Place the hare pieces in a bowl and add the wine, celery, half of the onion, the bay leaf, and the peppercorns. Toss well to coat, and allow it to marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator, stirring from time to time to distribute all flavors. Mince the fatty pork with the remaining onion and the carrot in a meat grinder; you can also do this with a sharp knife. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan, add the ground pork mixture, and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the pork has changed color. Drain the hare from the marinade (reserve the marinade), and add it to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sear until brown on all sides, turning to cook evenly, then add one-quarter of the reserved marinade and all of the broth. Bring to a gentle boil; cover, and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the hare is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more of the marinade if needed to keep the sauce from drying out. Transfer the pieces of hare to a warmed serving dish. Strain the cooking juices, discarding the solids, and keep hot. Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and salt, and cook until al dente. Drain. Toss the pappardelle gently with the hare in the serving dish, and moisten with the cooking juices as needed. Fold in the Parmigiano and the butter, adjust the salt if necessary, and serve immediately. |
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| Chicken cacciatora |
2 lbs. chicken parts,
6 tbs. olive oil,
1 small carrot,
1 stalk celery,
1 lb. peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes,
1 bay leaf,
Few juniper berries,
1 glass dry white wine,
1 oz. dried mushrooms,
1 clove garlic,
3 cup chicken broth,
1 tbs. chopped parsley,
Salt,
Pepper. |
| Wash the chicken parts and pat dry. Sauté the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil. When tender, but not crisp, add the chicken parts, salt and pepper, bay leaf, juniper berry and let brown over a high flame. Add the wine and, when it has evaporated, add a few mushrooms (previously re-constituted in warm water), the tomatoes and 1/2 cup broth. Cook for about one hour over medium heat. When ready remove from heat, add the chopped parsley and arrange in a pre-heated serving platter. Serve. |
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| Eel in sauce |
Serves 4:
Fresh e el 800 g (1.76 pounds),
Fresh tomatoes 200 g (7.05 ounces),
50 g onion (1.75 ounces),
Parsley 20 g (0.7 ounces),
3 bay leaves,
2 garlic cloves,
3 dl extra virgin olive oil (1.5 cups),
2 dl dry white wine (1 cup),
Flour type 00 as needed,
Salt,
Pepper. |
Clean eels thoroughly scrubbing with paper and wood ash.
Remove offal and wash under running water.
Warm oil in a casserole, and brown lightly chopped onion and garlic.
In the meantime slice eel in 6-7 cm (2.36 to 2.75 inches) long chunks, coat with flour and brown in frying pan with oil. Drain excess oil.
Add browned eel to casserole, add wine and let evaporate.
Cook for 15 minutes, adding hot water as needed.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add peeled fresh tomatoes cut into small cubes and bay three leaves.
Cook for 15 more minutes.
Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and slices of grilled polenta. |
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| Truffle Omelette |
4 large fresh eggs,
1 tablespoon double cream,
1 small fresh truffle – about 25g,
A large knob of butter,
Salt
Pepper to Taste. |
Make sure your truffle is thoroughly clean, slice it thinly and poach it in a little water with your seasonings, for just four or five minutes. Reduce the water to a dessertspoonful, allow it cool and add it to the cream.
Heat your pan gently. Meanwhile whisk your eggs, add the poaching water and cream to them and whisk again.
Add the butter to the pan, allow it become very hot, but not discoloured, then tip the eggs in. Move them around a little then add the sliced truffles. Allow the top to almost set – baveuse - fold and serve immediately.
Serve with a fresh green salad, some warm crusty bread and a good bottle of Cahors. |
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