Let's Chow! » Dessert http://www.letschow.net - Documenting the journey through my kitchen, a pinch of salt at a time. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:04:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Barilla Feature: Viva i Tortellini! http://www.letschow.net/2011/06/06/barilla-feature-viva-i-tortellini/ http://www.letschow.net/2011/06/06/barilla-feature-viva-i-tortellini/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:09:37 +0000 Selina http://www.letschow.net/?p=299

We are indeed much more than what we eat; but what we eat can nevertheless help us be much more than what we are. — Adele Davis

Ah, Italy! Italia! Il Bel Paese! Even though a culinary journey through this land of food artists would outlast the most long-lived of men, we felt the need to dig a bit into the offerings of this wonderful country so to provide some clear examples to distinguish authentic Italian food from the much more common Italian-American fare you can find online and in most Italian restaurants in the U.S. We started with Bucatini all’Amatriciana, a Roman favorite that is immortal as the Eternal City itself. We continued our trip by moving north: Tortellini al Pesto alla Genovese, combining Liguri and Emiliani flavors, provided us the best opportunity to welcome Spring into upstate New York and to make great use of all the fresh ingredients that the season was bringing us. Most recently, we crafted our Coniglio alla Ligure, a true Western Ligurian specialty that kept us in northern Italy and that we hope raised awareness of this white, lean meat that is often overlooked by even the most-discerning food expert.
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Yet, we felt that one piece of the puzzle was missing to conclude this culinary trip through the Italian boot: a full Italian meal! We decided to take on seasonal flavors in a three-course, rustic, northern Italian meal, using Barilla tortellini as a key character; it is a meal that you can find at a neighborhood trattoria in Genova or Asti, but not necessarily in a fancy Italian restaurant in Rome; it is something that many families may share during the traditional Sunday lunch with relatives, but rarely on their own. There is something special about rustic meals that illustrate a way of life that is genuine and humble while also being true to a culture. And few places in the world can conjugate rusticity and finesse like Italy does! By using simple ingredients that can be found in most supermarkets we were able to create a delectable meal — one that spans from an apotheosis of greens to the deep redness of a Cannonau wine in the ragu, to the soft, hidden elegance of a pear cake baked all’Italiana. A real traditional meal whose ingredients and cooking methods rightly pay a tribute to the Slow Food movement that was created in this land of great chefs. We decided to stick to the northern Italian tradition because its ingredients are similar to the one found here in the New York state countryside, as a way to link our location to Italy — the green valleys of Alta Lombardia have never been closer!
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We enjoyed cooking (and eating!) what you’re about to see very much. We hope that you will enjoy recreating our menu even more!
Recipes to follow below…
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Tasting Notes & Recipes
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Trittico di Verdure al Forno con Tortelloni e Pioggia di Gorgonzola (Roasted Tri-Vegetable Salad with Crispy Tortelloni and Gorgonzola Crumbles): Rather than having a salad with the usual suspects of mixed lettuce greens, spinach, or arugula (all of which are fabulous though), the focus here is on seasonal spring and summer vegetables to pay tribute to the abundant produce available, especially zucchini. The three colors of asparagus/zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower are naturally vibrant and complement one another. When roasted, the caramelized flavors of each vegetable meld together like long lost siblings, yet each maintaining its distinct flavor. The common denominator is a browned, nutty flavor that always brings out the best in vegetables. The crisp tortelloni bring out the savory goodness from the vegetable medley; even though baking tortelloni (or tortellini) without a sauce base is rare to come across, we believed that the flavors of the pasta, the vegetables, and the cheeses blend perfectly together; and you know what? It worked out really well! Certainly, the Gorgonzola piccante (spicy) crumbles give the salad a kick of gratification with its punchy and bold character. No Italian meal is truly complete without good formaggio! This dish is perfectly paired with a Keuka Lake Vineyards’ Dry Riesling: with its fruity, delicate notes, this upstate New York wine (reminiscent of Rieslings found across Northern Italy) complements all the ingredients of this antipasto without overpowering any.
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Trittico di Verdure al Forno con Tortelloni e Pioggia di Gorgonzola Recipe
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Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  • 2 carrots, cut into julienne strips
  • 1 head cauliflower, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch-thick slices
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 bunch asparagus, course stalks removed and then halved
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 20 Barilla Ricotta and Cheese Tortelloni
  • 1.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
  • 1.5 oz Gorgonzola piccante, roughly chopped and crumbled
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Preparation
  1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cut vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Place vegetables in a single layer on baking sheets.
  2. Cook tortelloni in boiling water for about 8 minutes (slightly under the package cooking time). Gently drain. In a separate baking sheet, lay tortelloni in a single layer on a baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil and freshly grated Parmigiano.
  3. Place baking sheets into oven for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables and tortelloni are lightly browned.
  4. Plate vegetables: Form a base layer with cauliflower and stack with carrots, zucchini, and asparagus. Sprinkle with gorgonzola crumbles. Can be served hot or room temperature.
Tools
  • Medium pot
  • Baking sheets (about 3-4)
  • Peeler
  • Chef knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Grater
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Tortellini al Ragu’ di Coniglio alla Ligure (Tortellini with Ligurian Rabbit Ragu): If there were one word to describe the tortellini with rabbit ragu, it would be none other than heavenly. The slow simmered ragu is perfectly tender, flavorful, and full of personality that shouts Italia. Brining the rabbit in red wine and herbs allowed the meat to be infused with an aromatic essence that carried throughout the cooking process. The mirepoix base (carrots, onions, celery) always brings depth and life to a sauce, and rightfully so in our ragu. The spinach and ricotta tortellini, perfectly crafted and plumply filled pasta, served as the perfect avenue to showcase the ragu. In fact, tortellini is to paper as ragu is to ink. With their fresh flavor, tortellini perfectly match the meaty taste of marinated rabbit, while the olive taggiasche, with their mild bitterness, are the perfect ending note of the dish. The Sardinian Cannonau wine, whose grapes are similar to those found in Ligurian wines, gave it another dimension as well; with heaping glassfuls simmering the meat and vegetables, this dish had no other choice but to be great. Putting it all together, we have a unique tortellini dish that instantly brings you to the countryside. A great thing about this particular ragu is that it is hearty, but not heavy; this is an important feature of Italian pasta sauces, while most Italian-American pasta sauces are represented as the latter, which has evolved into an unfortunate myth of Italian food being heavy.
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Tortellini al Ragu’ di Coniglio alla Ligure Recipe
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Preparation Time: Approximately 3 hours (2 hours brining + 1 hour cook time)
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided
  • 1 half large onion, coarsely chopped
  • 4 bay leaves, divided
  • 4 sprigs rosemary, divided
  • 4 springs thyme, divided
  • 3-4 glasses of Cannonau di Sardegna red wine, divided
  • Half rabbit, cut into about 5 large portions
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 14 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1/4 cup olive taggiasche
  • 3 cups Barilla Cheese and Spinach Tortellini (dried)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
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Preparation
  1. Brine rabbit: Put rabbit, 2 cloves garlic, onion, 2 bay leaves, rosemary in large mixing bowl. Pour about 2 glasses of wine into bowl. Let soak for 2 hours (or overnight in refrigerator), covered. Prepare other vegetables in the meantime. Drain and discard marinade, including herbs. Reserve and dry rabbit pieces.
  2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan to medium-high heat. Add garlic, shallots, carrot, and celery and sauté until vegetables are softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Add rabbit pieces and brown on each side, about another 5 minutes. Add remaining sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
  3. Add a glass of wine to the pan; deglaze pan by scraping off pan bits and allow wine to slightly evaporate. Add another glass of wine, season with salt and pepper, and cover the pan with a lid; reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until rabbit meat is tender.
  4. While rabbit is simmering, bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Cook tortellini for about 9 minutes. Drain and reserve.
  5. Remove rabbit from pan and allow to cool slightly. Debone rabbit with hands and finely chop with knife. Add meat back into pan. Add tomatoes to the pan and crush tomatoes with fork and wooden spoon. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Add bouillon cube and dissolve. Add olives. Simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes — ragu should be nicely thickened.
  6. Add cooked tortellini to saucepan and toss. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Tools
  • Chef knife
  • Peeler
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium pot
  • Large saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Fork
  • Grater

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Torta di Pere con Salsa al Cioccolato (Rustic Pear Cake Drizzled with Dark Chocolate Sauce): Spring and summer bring us a lot of fresh fruit, too. And since pears are a local fruit both here in upstate New York as well as in northern Italy, we decided that a pear cake was the best way to conclude this all-northern Italian dinner. The flavor of the pears (we suggest you use the Bartlett variety, also known as Williams, but any type of sweet, soft pear will work) combined with the homemade chocolate sauce (using high quality, organically-grown cocoa powder from the Dominican Republic) delightfully release all of the classic flavors that you can encounter in the northern Italian countryside. Eating a slice of this cake makes you think of a remote valley in the Italian Alps, where cows roam freely, pears grow fresh, and raspberries explode in flavor. The cool weather that you associate with the often snowy peaks of northern Italy is perfectly compensated by the warmth of the chocolate sauce and by a tazza (cup) of espresso coffee, the Italian hot beverage that irremediably not only accompanies every dessert but also articulates every moment of the life of Italians. We used a Bialetti Moka Express coffee maker along with Lavazza Qualita’ Oro ground espresso for the perfect brew. As a dessert wine pairing we recommend a St. Michael-Eppan’s “Sanct Valentin-Comtess-Passito,’ a sweet wine produced in Alto Adige, a mountainous land riddled with beautiful countryside scenery that fits perfectly with the simple rustic elegance of this cake.
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Torta di Pere con Salsa al Cioccolato Recipe.

Adapted from Rustic Apple Cake Recipe and Dark Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Preparation time: 1.5 hours
Serves 8
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Ingredients

For cake:
  • 3 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced, divided
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 7 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 packet yeast
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • Confectioner’s powder sugar, for garnishing
For sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup brewed espresso
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, combine 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and reserve. In large mixing bowl, squeeze lemon juice onto sliced pears. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix eggs and remaining sugar until sugar is fully dissolved. Add melted butter and mix. Next, gradually add lemon zest, cinnamon, milk, yeast, vanilla, almond, salt, and flour. Mixture should be well combined and form a thick liquid.
  2. If using a stand mixer, remove bowl from base. Fold in pears and use spatula to combine. Pour batter into a buttered and floured cake pan (preferably springform). Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mixture. Bake for 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean from the cake. Allow to cool.
  3. Prepare chocolate sauce: Cut butter into pieces. In a small saucepan heat espresso with brown sugar over medium heat, whisking, until sugar is dissolved. Add cocoa powder and salt, whisking until smooth. Add butter and vanilla, whisking until butter is melted. Serve cake with warm chocolate sauce and garnish with fresh raspberries.
Tools
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Peeler
  • Chef knife
  • Grater
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Spatula
  • Springform cake pan
  • Whisk

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Without further ado, Buon Appetito!

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]]> http://www.letschow.net/2011/06/06/barilla-feature-viva-i-tortellini/feed/ 0 Honey-Vanilla Panna Cotta With Berries http://www.letschow.net/2010/07/20/honey-vanilla-panna-cotta-with-berries/ http://www.letschow.net/2010/07/20/honey-vanilla-panna-cotta-with-berries/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:45:17 +0000 Selina http://www.letschow.net/?p=161

Life itself is the proper binge. — Julia Child

And then there is dessert, another brilliant binge that we all shamelessly enjoy. Even for those who say they don’t like sweets, custard with fresh summer berries is a pleasing dessert for anyone to indulge in. This is exactly what panna cotta is all about. It’s a very simple custard that is made with milk, cream, sugar, and gelatin and it is fairly fool-proof, even for a clumsy person such as myself. The beauty of it is its simplicity — the ingredients are easy to find (though for non-summer seasons, you can opt for other varieties of panna cotta), you can make it ahead of time for a dinner event, and most of the work is taken care of by your refrigerator. Because of the high cream content, this dessert is incredibly rich, silky, and just plain good after a light meal. It’s definitely something to save room for in your stomach.

Summer is a great time to make panna cotta because fresh berries are rightfully in season and can be purchased locally at farmers markets in the U.S. Not only are berries readily available at this time of year, they are also naturally photogenic, delicious, and healthy.

So there you have it. It’s okay to indulge a little sometimes.

Honey-Vanilla Panna Cotta With Berries Recipe

Recipe adapted from Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries by Giada De Laurentiis
Preparation Time: 15 minutes + 6 hours chill time in the refrigerator
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 3 cups whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 cups assorted fresh berries

Preparation

  1. Place whole milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Pour milk/gelatin mixture into a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the whipping cream, honey, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  3. Using a ladle, pour into 6-8 glasses or bowls so that they are 1/2 full. Cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap.
  4. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve (only immediately prior to serving).

Tools

  • Small bowl
  • Medium saucepan
  • Ladle
  • Assorted glasses (wine, martini, or regular drinking glasses). Alternatively, ramekins or small bowls work fine.
  • Plastic wrap  (or anything that will cover all containers at once)

]]> http://www.letschow.net/2010/07/20/honey-vanilla-panna-cotta-with-berries/feed/ 1 Carrot Cake for Carrot Cake’s Biggest Fan http://www.letschow.net/2009/04/19/carrot-cake-for-carrot-cakes-biggest-fan/ http://www.letschow.net/2009/04/19/carrot-cake-for-carrot-cakes-biggest-fan/#comments Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:12:33 +0000 Selina http://www.letschow.net/?p=119 We all have our default, go-to, quick fixes when it comes to food. For those of us who like sweets, there is probably a mental list of one to five things that we consider our guilty pleasures. You know, those things you cannot resist from a dessert menu even though you already need to unbutton the top button of your pants…or the aromas you catch when you stroll by a bakery filled with fresh scents of pastries, chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, or anything sweet – your nose will inevitably take the lead, one sniff at a time. My personal favorites are bread pudding, [any fruit] cobbler, and rice pudding, just to name a few.

I have mentioned before in my blog that I’m not much of a baker. While that still remains true, I will bake when there is a need or demand for it. After all, a little practice at patience and precision can’t hurt anyone, right? Too bad only one of the two made it on my strength list (hmmm, which one?).

This time, the motive to carry out this baking activity comes from carrot cake’s biggest fan, my friend Stephanie. I promised to make her carrot cake for her recent big 3-0 birthday, so here was my chance! I just want to point out that I have never met a person as crazy about carrot cake as Steph is, truly. I am pretty certain that a slice of carrot cake could cure any of her woes.

So my friends, here you have it: my first attempt at carrot cake. The result was just as the magazine recipe promised – moist and not too sweet. The process is rather lengthy and requires some patience, but it’s really nice to have homemade cake. I might also add that if you’re a frosting/icing/buttercream fan, then this one is to die for. Considering the quantity of fattening goodies it contains (2 sticks of butter and 2 blocks of cream cheese…oh yes), it truly makes the carrot cake decadent and comforting with that extra complimentary touch of sweetness. Just as long as you’re aware :)

Classic Carrot Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Recipe adapted from the January 2009 edition of Food & Wine by Jodi Elliot
Preparation Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 cup pecans (4 ounces)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Dash of ground nutmeg
  • Dash of ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded

For the frosting:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper and flour the pans.
  2. Make the cake: Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and finely chop the pecans.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, buttermilk and vanilla. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at high speed until pale, about 5 minutes. Beat in the liquid ingredients. Beat in the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the carrots and pecans. Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until springy and golden. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then un-mold the cakes from the pans and let cool completely.
  4. Make the frosting (while cakes are cooling): In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at high speed until light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, then the confectioners’ sugar; beat at low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  5. Peel off the parchment paper and invert one cake layer onto a plate. Spread with a slightly rounded cup of the frosting. Top with the second cake layer, right side up. Spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting and refrigerate the cake until chilled, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Tools

  • Two 9-inch cake pans
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Grater
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 3 mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Electric mixer/stand mixer
  • Spatula

Selina’s Notes

  • The original recipe did not call for nutmeg or allspice, but I really think a small touch adds some depth to the cake. Even though it’s against the general baking rule of thumb, just eyeball it! Definitely keep it under a teaspoon, though.
  • Three+ hours may seem like a long time, but the there are large pockets of time that allow you to do other things, such as the hour it bakes in the oven, the 30-45 minutes it takes to completely cool, and the hour it chills in the fridge.
  • Healthier variation of this? I may have to consult Amy, but I would try using whole wheat flour, using less sugar (or another type of sweetener), and being modest on the frosting consumption.
  • The quantity of frosting this recipe yields is slightly overwhelming, and I really did not use every bit of it. Maybe reserve some for cupcakes.

On that last note, I will conclude with my initial stage of frosting the first layer of cake in which I discovered the abundance of frosting that I had whipped up:

Mmmm…

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I label myself as one who does not bake…often. Can I see myself as a pastry chef? It might be a hard feat. Perhaps not using an oven for over 16 years to make baked goods still haunts me to the point where the oven is a foreign machine that remains untouched unless absolutely necessary. Okay, the situation is not that extreme, but baking is something that takes an extra special ‘umph.’ It’s like knowing you’re not naturally gifted with X sport and yet you still try extra hard to still play for the pure joy and entertainment of it.

Regardless of my nearly nonexistent baking skills, I learned how to make a basic apple cake from a friend’s mother. Over the years I have modified the recipe to make it my own, with some extra sass to it. The sass comes from the spice and nut part of the cake – cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and walnuts. These ingredients combined are extraordinary pals, especially with apples. The apples and cinnamon create a classic flavor foundation for the cake while the ginger and nutmeg create a special depth in the background.

And to top it off, the walnuts are a great way to add some nutrition and crunch.

This recipe is remarkably fool-proof, really. Your family and friends will give you smiles after having this cake! I have served it at Thanksgiving dinner and many other occasions. My coworkers seem to love the cake, too.

Apple Spice Walnut Cake Recipe

Preparation Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (1 hour bake time, 15 minute prep time)
Serves 9

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 can Comstock or Wilderness apple pie filling (21 ounces, available at most supermarkets)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • Cooking spray
  • Confectioners’ sugar, optional
  • Vanilla ice cream, optional

Tools

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Chef knife and cutting board
  • Spatula
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • 8 x 8 square baking pan

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Prepare the batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients with a spatula until moderately combined. The eggs should be well incorporated and the dark cinnamon should be blended in at this point.

    Fold in chopped walnuts.

  3. Lightly coat baking pan with a quick dash of cooking spray. Pour cake batter into baking pan and place in the oven to bake for one hour.
  4. Remove from oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if your mood calls for it; it’s always a nice touch!

Selina’s Notes

  • For those watching sugar intake, a ‘No Sugar Added’ version of apples is sometimes available. Alternatively, you can reduce the granulated sugar amount to 1/2 cup. Splenda is also an option.
  • All purpose flour can be substituted with whole wheat flour
  • Don’t have ginger or nutmeg? Cinnamon alone would make it a lovely cake as well, just less sass.

And now the process of blissful, sweet satisfaction:

After a bite, one must keep going.

And going…

Task accomplished!

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