Recipes Archive

Hazelnut and Caramel Crostata

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Decadence in pastry, a tender hazelnut crust holds dark chewy caramel and toasted nuts. If you love caramel and hazelnuts, this is for you. Finished with a drizzle of bittersweet chocolate and accompanied with sweetened whipped cream, this is fine dining at home.

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This crust calls for ground hazelnuts. You can grind them yourself, either in a nut grinder or in the food processor fitted with the metal blade. One caveat, however, Read the rest of this article »

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Meyer-Lemon

This year my Meyer lemon tree just outdid itself. There are still scores of lemons on the tree, and I continue to find ways to use them. One of the characteristics of Meyers I particularly admire is that the fruit holds very well on the tree. But even Mother Nature can’t make it hold forever. Although most of the fruit still sports the smooth skin so peculiar to Meyers, some of it has begun to pucker – a sure sign it is time to get the fruit off the tree. I picked the lemons, juiced them, poured the juice into ice cube trays and froze them. Once they were frozen solid I popped them out of the trays and into ZipLok freezer bags, marked them, and placed them back in the freezer. Now I am assured of lots of juice for summer desserts and libations. Read the rest of this article »

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Emilia-Romagna is the home of world famous sfoglia, rich fresh egg pasta rolled paper thin. From that divine pasta comes garganelli.

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Ridged tubes of pasta formed from a square of pasta rolled around a bastoncino (stick), and passed over a ridged tool known as a comb or pettine (PEH-tee-nay), garganelli are one of my favorites, both to eat and to make. Read the rest of this article »

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Colomba di Pasqua

By Adri | Filed in Dessert, Recipes

Easter Dove Bread

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Easter is almost here, and in my house that means it is time to bake Easter Dove Bread – Colomba di Pasqua. As Panettone is to Christmas, so this rich egg bread is to Easter. A traditional yeasted sweet bread, formed (more or less) in the shape of a dove, it is available in the days leading up to Holy Week.

History tells us this bread hails from Milan where, during the battle of Legnano in 1176, two doves alighted on the sacred Milanese carrocio (war chariot). The war chariot carried a massive crucifix dedicated to Saint George, patron saint of Milan, and the doves remained on the chariot until the armies of the Lombard League repulsed Federico Barbarossa, his knights and infantrymen. To honor the end of hostilities and the Treaty of Venice, the women of Milan baked this bread, and the tradition continues to this day. Read the rest of this article »

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Lime and Mascarpone Torta – Everything old is new again

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I love this torta – it is light yet satisfying with a tender crust and a lime filling that delivers great citrus flavor without a heavy does of tartness.

For those of you who have a fear of pastry – let me give you a couple of tips. First, start with easy to roll doughs like this one. Known in Italian as pasta frolla (tender crust), this shortcrust is sturdy and tender. Read the rest of this article »

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