Condensed milk cake.

I found this recipe HERE, it's easy and really quick, I've just added a step beating whites untill firm.
It's good for breakfast or tea time, you can try it with different kind of flours like chestnut flour or buckwheat to find new tastes and consistences.

1 can condensed and  sweetened milk (400 gm)

4 Eggs

1 cup Flour 

1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder

1/2 cup melted Butter + some to grease the pan

Brush the cake pan with butter, mix all the ingredients in a bowl except egg whites: you have to whip them untill firm then mix them with the rest of the dough.
Pour in the cake pan then bake in preheated oven ( 175 F°) for about 30-40 minutes.
You can fill it with marmelade, jam or chocolate cream.

Artusi's stew.

This is a revisited  recipe from Pellegrino Artusi's main opera " La Scienza in cucina e l'Arte di mangiar bene", 1891 ( " Kitchen science and the art of good eating"). Artusi has been the first to try to write down and classify the Italian cooking tradition, he was born and raised in Forlimpopoli, not far from Rimini and Bologna, where I live and his contribution is still very cherished.

If you want to know more about Artusi you can click HERE to learn more (in English or French) about him, about the Artusi foundation, Artusi's feast and prizes.

This recipe comes from the recipe number 300 of the book quoted, I did it for the New Year's eve and we enjoyed a lot with oven-baked potatoes.

Serves 4.

21 oz. beef (Shoulder clod or any stew cut)

1 onion

1 branch of celery

1 carrot

1/2 cup white vinegar 

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 gal. vegetable broth (made with 1/2 onion, 1 carrot, 1 courgette, 1 celery branch, 1 bayleaf)

10.5 oz. fresh milk cream

salt and pepper

Dice the vegetables and put them in a pot with oil, let them golden and blend with vinegar then add the meat salted and sprinkled with pepper.

Let the meat colour on each side then add some broth and milk cream, cover with a lid then let it simmer for a couple of hours.

If needed add some broth.

When the meat is ready take it off the pan and whisk the sauce untill smooth.

Slice the beef and serve hot with the sauce on.

Spiced white hot chocolate.



Yes I've decided to indulge in one more seasonal treat...Hot chocolate.

It's delicious in every shape and flavour but the version I created to appraise a wonderful saffron from Sardinia called San Gavino have that special flair that make you say "let's do this again".

My hubby doesn't like saffron very much, he usually can just stand it into a risotto alla milanese but I swear he drank two cups of this chocolate and asked for more.

 

For 2 plenty servings:

 

1 cup white chocolate chips

 

1  cup heavy cream

 

4 cups half-and-half

 

1 bag saffron powder

 

a big pinch of ground ginger

 

few saffron pistils to decorate if you have

 

In saucepan over low heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream.

Stir continuously until white chocolate chips have completely melted.

Stir in the half-and-half and stir until thick then add the saffron powder and mix very well.

Pour into cups, sprinkle a pinch of ground ginger on top (as much as you like) and few saffron pistils to decorate.

Serve with dark chocolate cookies and enjoy you holidays!

Salted caramel toffee.

A nice, quick and easy treat for the incoming holidays.
You just have to wrap each candy into clingfilm or tin foil.
If you leave them free they stick to each other.
You can pur them into chocolate molds or into a baking pan (if so cut them into squares when they're cold).
With this recipe you'll have about 30 toffees the size of a chocolate.

2/3 cup granulated or raw sugar (I used raw, Muscovado)

4.5 oz. fresh milk cream

0.7 oz. honey or corn syrup ( I used honey)

1.4 oz. butter

vanilla flavour

2 teaspoon fleur de sel

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan but a teaspoon of salt (sprinkle this one on the bottom of the pan/moulds).
Let it simmer on low fire untill you have a sticky mixture then try to pour a drop of caramel into a glass of cold water: if it melts you have to cook it more, if it forms a gummy drop it's ready.
Pour the liquid caramel into moulds then let it cold, you can store the moulds into the fridge, the candies will be hard and easy to be wrapped into film.
Then store in an airtight box.

Potato gnocchi with leeks and blue cheese fondue.

Yesterday I spent the day visiting a big fair in Santarcangelo di Romagna: many many sellers, clothes, home clothing, underwear and...Food.

Food, food, food with producer from the whole country, from Trentino Alto Adige (North of Italy) to Sicily (the deep South) with great cheeses, breads, sweets, meats...

As usual I bought some fresh black truffles then I found a producer from Vallecamonica ( near Brescia, Lombardia) with some cheeses...

They were so smelly and tasted sooo good I had to bought them!

I had a Fatuli' (smoked goat cheese) and a Blu di capra ( blue cheese half goat milk half cow).

I used the last one to make this recipe, I don't think you can find it easily outside Italy but you can use Gorgonzola cheese or a blue cheese.

 

2 servings:

 

1 medium leek

 

14 oz. potato gnocchi

 

1 tablespoon butter

 

2.5 oz. blue cheese your choice

 

Put on stove a big pot full of water, bring it to boil then add a pinch of salt.

In a large pan put butter and finely sliced leek, let it golden, add a little water if needed.

When the leek is soft turn off fire and add the blue cheese in little dices, cover with a lid.

Cook the gnocchi into the boiling water then drain them and pour in the pan.

Pan-fry for a minute, be careful not to broke gnocchi then serve hot.

With my blu di capra I didn't add any salt to the sauce, it depends on taste so try it before seasoning your gnocchi!

Serve hot.

Salone del gusto 2012, Turin.

I had so much fun attending this important food-related event, I've been so lucky to enjoy the perfect organization of tastings and cooking shows made by Pasta Garofalo and the breakfast workshop at Lavazza training center.

I met some beloved food-blogger from my country and many food-lovers from different countries, I introduced, with a producer from Acetaia del Cristo, the great tradition and taste of traditional balsamic vinegar from Modena and I bought some thigs I've never seen before like beer jelly (a great treat with cheeses, sweet breads and others), hops' cream ( to make bruschetta or to season pasta), wild roses' ketchup (it's fantastic!) and I've tasted so many nice typical food presided over by Slowfood.

I really hope to repeat soon an experience like this, can't say how grateful I am to all the people who made all this possible.

Pumpking hot soup.

This is a great treat for the incoming season: it's easy and smooth, it's light but you can enrich it with bacon or cheese or whatever you like.

I made it for two-three persons, I added some bacon and a slice of fatty cow cheese 'cause I had some leftovers in the fridge but you can toast some country bread or add any spice or herb you like.

 

3 medium potatoes

 

12 oz. pumpkin pulp

 

2 shallots

 

2 tbspoons extra virgin olive oil

 

salt & pepper to taste

 

Dice the shallots and stirfry them in a pot with olive oil, add diced potatoes and diced pumpkin.

Mix a little and add a 2-3 cups of water and let it simmer untill the vegetables are tender.

Add salt and pepper and the spices you like then blend untill smooth.

You can choose the thickness of the soup adding more or less water but pay attention to add water enough to cook the vegetables completely!

I always prefer thick soups as you can see in the photo. :)

Serve hot or warm alone or with something you like as cheese and/or bacon.

A nice Italian touch?

Add once the soup is in the serving dish a small amount of good and thick balsamic vinegar, its taste is great with pumpkin.

I usually don't specify what kind of herbs/spices I use, this is because I usually use an aromatic salt called in Bolognese vernacular "salarol" that's made of sea salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, sage and more.

Maybe I'll give you the recipe one day. ;)