photo credit: Neeta Lind

Happy Birthday Italy!

Every June 2nd, Italy celebrates the birth of their marvelous republic.  After World War II and the fall of facism, a referendum was held by the people of Italy and they voted to form their republic.  So this is a wonderful holiday when Italy celebrates their beloved country.

Although I posted this Tiramisu recipe back in October, I am reposting in Honor of Itay’s June 2 Celebration!  Mangia Bene!

Tiramisu has become an Italian dessert that is enormously popular everywhere.  Tokyo’s elite considered serving this to be a status symbol.  It first was introduced to the United States via Maimi and San Francisco.

Tiramisu translates to “pick me up“, probably from the espresso in the recipe.  This recipe has evolved over time and today the ingredients include ladyfingers, espresso coffee, eggs, marscapone cheese (Italian cream cheese), some sort of liquor, such as brandy, marsala, vermouth, or rum, some sort of chocolate or cocoa, and a bit of sugar.

It is commonly believed that this cake was created in the city of Siena, Italy.  At that time it was a round free-standing cake  – not at all like today’s popular version.  The original version contained no liquor as it was meant as a “pick me up” for older people and young children.  Today’s version is light as a feather – like mocha whipped cream sitting on tiny little espresso brushed cakes.

Here is a version of  Tiramisu that I’ve had for quite a while.  It is really quite easy to make.  The hard part is waiting at least two hours to eat it while it sets in the frig!

TIRAMISU
5 eggs
1 lb. ricotta
l lb. 2 oz. Marscapone cheese
5 Tablespoons rum
2 boxes Savoiardi Lady Fingers
4 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup espresso coffee, sweetened
2 Tablespoons semi-sweet cocoa powder

1.  Mix coffee and rum together and set aside.
2.  Blend together ricotta, marscapone, sugar and eggs.
3.  In an oblong baking dish, place a thin layer of the cheese mixture.
4.  Dip half of the Lady Fingers in the coffee/rum mixture and layer them in the bottom of the pan.
5.  Add a layer of cheese and sprinkle with half the cocoa.
6.  Continue with another layer of and top with cocoa.
7.  Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

I hope you will have fun impressing your friends and family with this heaven-sent Italian dessert!

Watch Chef Keith Snow make his fabulous Tiramisu right here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: silas216

Palermo, the capital of Sicily, is the birthplace of the one of the most famous Italian Dessert recipes – the fabulous cannoli.  Way back when, wealthy people would make a gift of cannoli to their friends at the time of their annual carnival.  Cannoli is actually the plural of cannolo.  You don’t hear much about connolo because it is difficult to eat just one.  Our Italian bakery even makes the cute little finger-sized ones called cannulicchi.

Cannoli shells for this Italian dessert are made in the shape of a tube and are then filled with some sort of filling.  Tradtionally, it will be ricotta or marscapone mixed with bits of chocolate or bits of fruit.  Often, a Marischino cherry or chopped pistachio nuts will be placed on each end and the cannoli will be dusted with powered sugar.

It is important to remember that the cannoli should be filled as close to serving time as possible – never more than an hour ahead – because they will get soggy.  One nice thing to remember is that the shells freeze exceptionally well, so you can just take out however many you need and leave the rest for another time.  The shells are made primarily of butter, sugar and flour.  They are wrapped around tubes and either fried or baked.  You can buy the shells already made or you can make your own.

Although the ricotta filling is the most popular, I actually prefer the pastry cream filling that is also available.  This is a little sweeter version of the Italian dessert recipes for cannoli that are so popular.  Maybe that’s why I prefer it.

Bring 2 cups of milk to a boil with 1/4 cup of sugar.  Whisk 6 large egg yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of sugar.  Once the milk comes to a boil, whisk about a third of it into the eggs – whisking constantly.  We don’t want scrambled eggs.  Now slowly return this mixture back in to the milk in the pan over low heat.  Return the heat to medium and return to a boil, whisking constantly.  When it starts to thicken, cook for another minute and remove from heat.

Whisk in 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Transfer to a bowl and place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling.  Place in the frig for at least a few hours – or make it the day before.

Watch Greg make some wonderful cannoli for you here!

Thank you, oh wonderful Sicily for this most marvelous of all  Italian dessert recipes – Cannoli!  Mangia Bene!

photo credit: Mark and Allegra

Well here it is December already!  Are you thinking of making some Italian food gifts for the holidays?  Why not consider the lovely, fruity Panettone – Italian Christmas Bread.  Tradition has it that if you sip a bit of sparkling wine while having a piece of Panettone, you will be assured good health and good luck throughout the year.  Panettone can be eaten alone, or served with marscapone cheese, jams or butters.

You will find Panettone in either a tall dome shape or a flat round shape.  There are many variations of the recipe, but many are filled with candied fruits and raisins.  However, some are filled with chocolate and others are just plain.  If you make these and wrap them in pretty colored cellophane, they make marvelous Italian food gifts!

Most people believe that this recipe had its roots in Milan, Italy sometime around the 15th century.  Milan is a very romantic city, and there are many romantic stories about the origin of Panettone.

One legend speaks of a nobleman’s love for the daughter of a poor, struggling baker.  To win the heart of the pretty girl, the nobleman disguised himself as a baker and invented a new fruity cake-like bread.  Of course, the Panettone was a tremendous hit throughout the region and they all lived happily ever after.

Another legend speaks of a kitchen boy named Toni, of course!  He worked for a famous Duke who was throwing a massive Christmas banquet to impress all of his friends.  Unfortunately, the cook burned what the Duke felt was the crowning finish to his lavish meal – THE DESSERT!   Toni jumped in to save the day.  He found some leftover dough and mixed it with butter and candied fruit and baked it.  The Duke’s guests raved about Toni’s creation and the Duke declared that from that day forward, the bread would be called “Pan de Toni” – bread of Toni.  So many believe it was eventually just shortened to Panettone.

If you would like to try your hand at making these for Italian food gifts, I recommend you checking out this site.  It is a fabulous place to “visit”, and they show you the overnight method of making Panettone which results in a moister Panettone with more staying power than the quicker version.  www.KingArthurFlour.com.

Here you can watch Panettone being made in an Italian bakery!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: stu_spivack

Zabaglione is a wonderful Italian dessert that is rich and custardy and has a taste of “spirits”.  There does not seem to be a consensus of opinion about the origin of this dish.  Some say Florence, some say Venice, but most agree it came about some time in the 1500′s.  The original version is actually thought to have been a drink, rather than something eaten with a spoon.  It was primarily wine that was thickened by with the addition of egg yolks.

Today it is a light custard that has at its base – egg yolks, sugar and some type of wine – Marsala, sweet sherry, or dessert wine or liquer.  The original recipes used honey as a sweetener because sugar was not readily available.  Large amounts of air are whipped into this Italian dessert delight, giving it the nice airiness that people love.  It is served hot immediately after cooking, although it can be refrigerated and served cold.

Italians LOVE Zabaglione and they even have Zabaglione flavored gelato.  Although this is considered primarily an Italian gourmet treat, it is also quite possible in parts of South America.  In fact there is a drink in Venezuela that tastes similar to Zabaglione called ponche de crema.  This is primarily served during Christmas season, much like egg nog in the United States and England.

In an Italian kitchen, you might even find a round bottom little copper pot that is supposed to be the best for making Zabaglione.  It is often made in a double boiler over barely simmering water, so as to avoid ending my with a scrambled egg mess.

This Italian dessert is traditionally served with some sort of side fruit, such as figs, berries, peaches, pears – although it is often served with a cookie or two on the side.

Italian Dessert:  Zabaglione

Starting with a double boiler, whisk four egg yolks with 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of whichever “spirit” you have decided to use.  Turn on the heat and whisk, whisk, whisk – until it thickens.  This can take 8 or 10 minutes, but the mixture will become frothy and light.  Turn off the heat and beat 1/2 cup of heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar to the soft peak stage.  Fold the cream mixture into the egg mixture and serve immediately!

Would you like to see Gordon Ramsey make a marvelous Peach Zabaglione in under a minute?  It looks marvelous, although I think I would pass on adding the basil.  Want to see?  Click Here!

Watch Chef Angelo make his fabulous Zabaglione Custard with Strawberries here!

Mangia Bene!

photo credit: Ash-rly

Italian desserts are ALL wonderful, but the cool, silky, melt-in-your-mouth Gelato is in a class by itself.  Gelato actually IS an art form!  The technique was actually perfected by a Sicilian in Paris back in the 1600′s.

So what is the difference between ice cream and gelato?  One difference is that gelati (the plural) are made at a much slower pace than ice cream.  It is all of the air that is whipped into ice cream that makes it so fluffy.  Gelato is churned slowly so very little air is incorporated into the final product.  Gelato usually contains about 25% air, while ice cream can have as much as 50% air!  Since the gelato is churned slowly, the air bubbles are tiny, thus creating the soft, creamy texture.  No stabilizers or thickeners are used in the process. This addictive Italian dessert also includes more milk and less cream than ice cream, and often contains more egg yolks.
So you see that surprisingly, gelato has less fat than ice cream, despite its remarkable intense flavor!

photo credit: tee.kay
If you visit the city of Florence, you will notice that the people there rarely eat in the streets.  They do, however, make one exception to the “rule”.  You guessed it!  Gelato is everywhere!

Gelato comes in dozens of flavors.  Since hazelnuts are so popular in Tuscany, you will find Gelato de Nocciola very popular in that region.  Other popular flavors include Stracciatella (chocolate chip), Cioccolato (deep, dark chocolate), Crema (vanilla), Pistacchio and Foro Di Latte (plain).

One of the nice things about the Gelato Experience is that you can get lots of tastes in one serving!  Even a small cup or cone can have three flavors and the larger ones often have five different flavors to tingle your taste buds.

Do not think that you are going to be able to conquer this Italian dessert and come out with results equivalent to an Italian gelateria.  That won’t be happening.  Like I said, it is an art form.  You can actually buy gelato makers for home use, although they are a little on the pricey side.  The word “gelato” actually means frozen, and these machines need to be at a minimum of -4 degrees to produce good results.

I did, however, find a cute site where the person claims he made a pretty darned good gelato with his ice cream maker.  If you would like to see how he did it, click here!

If you would like to see gelato being made professionally in New York, click here!

Mangia Bene!