RECIPE: PIZZOCCHERI
(KARIM E.K.)
Servings: 4 people Preparation time: 45 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Temp: 100 °C
Ingredients:
Directions:
500g Pizzoccheri 100g Grana Padano 2 garlic 240g potatoes 200g cabbage 180g Casera cheese 180g Bitto cheese 80g butter one sage sprig salt.
Put a pot filled with water on the cooker. Clean the cabbage with the knife, then halve and chop it. Wash the potatoes and peel them; then halve and chop them. When the water boils, add the potatoes and the cabbage and let them boil for 5 minutes. Also add the Pizzoccheri but let them boil for 20 minutes. Take the cheese, and dice it. Drain the pasta together with the vegetables and sprinkle the cheese a little at a time using a ladle to prevent it from sticking on the bottom of the pot. In a pan add the butter, the (pressed) garlic, and the sage, and cook them until they are browned. Add the seasoning(butter with sage and garlic) to the Pizzoccheri and serve hot.
Note: You can also use chard or Swiss chard instead of cabbage. The outermost leaves of the cabbage can be used in stocks. If you don't have the Casera cheese or Bitto cheese, you can use reduced-fat cheese instead.
Tools: knife, pot, pan, ladle.
RECIPE: TORTELLI CREMASCHI (ALEX V.)
Servings: 6/8 people Preparation time: 50 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Temp: 100 °C
Ingredients: For the dough 1000 g plain flour 100 g water A pinch of salt For the stuffing Mostaccino (a typical spicy biscuit from Crema): 2 Cocoa Macaroons (amaretti Gallina): 150 g Raisins: 25 g Candied Cedar: 15 g Dry Marsala: 20 cl Nutmeg: 1 teaspoon Little mints: 2 grated Grana Padano Cheese: 100 g Eggs: 1 For the dressing 400 g melted butter 400 g Parmesan cheese
Directions: Dough Preparation First of all you have to combine the salt and the flour, done this you create a volcano with the flour and add the water in the center little by little and slowly mix everything trying to get a fairly firm dough. Let it rest in the fridge for 5 minutes.
Stuffing Preparation First of all take the cocoa macaroons, the cedar and the mostaccino and chop everything finely, add the raisins cut into pieces, add the nutmeg, the grated mint, the egg and the Grana Padano cheese, mix everything until it forms a dark red mixture tending to brown.
The traditional shape
NOTE: The mostaccino is a dry spicy biscuit characteristic of Crema. It is prepared with the same quantity of flour and sugar, 1 egg, a little butter and a great mix of spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, mace, star anise, caraway seeds, black pepper and a pinch of cocoa. The dough is mixed with a little water, it is spread with a rolling pin and cut into pieces to be cooked in the oven at 180° degrees for 15 minutes.
Dressing Preparation Melt the butter over low heat and pour over the cooked tortelli and cover with grated Parmesan cheese.
RECIPE: TORTIONATA – ALMOND CAKE (THOMAS P.)
Servings: 4 people Preparation time: 50 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Temp: 150 °C
Ingredients:
Directions:
Flour: 300g Sugar: 150g Butter: 150g Powdered sugar: 25g Almonds: 125g
Melt the butter and blend the almond; sift the flour and knead it with butter, almond and sugar. Put the dough in a large and low baking pan and bake it for 35 minutes at 150 °C. When it is cooked sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
RECIPE: MONT BLANC
(SARA A.)
Servings: 12 servings Preparation time: 1 ½ h Cook time: 35 minutes Temp: high
Ingredients:
Directions:
SHORTCRUST PASTY:
Preheat the oven to 230°C Do a cross with a knife into the chestnuts Put the chestnuts on a sheet pan and bake them Remove the chestnuts and quickly peel the warm one. Put the peeled chestnuts in a pan and add sugar, water and vanilla extract. Cook and stir the chestnuts for about 15 minutes. Place the chestnut filling in a food processor, add water and blend until smooth. Transfer the filling into a piping bag with a circle tip and chill.
225 g plain flour 100 g butter, diced 1 beaten egg Cold water A pinch of salt Powdered sugar
CHESTNUT FILLING: 910 g chestnut 720 ml of water(three cups) 50 g sugar 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
MERINGUE: 2 egg whites 100 g sugar
CREAM FILLING: 1 l whipped cream
Start preparing the shortcrust pastry. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add cubes of butter. Rub in the fat using the tips of your fingers until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the middle and add the beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Mix the ingredients and make a ball. Add more water if necessary. Put the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 90°C. In a bowl whisk the egg whites. Then add sugar and whisk them until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the meringue into a piping bag with a circle tip and pipe the meringue with a circle motion into a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake the meringue for 1 hour. Meanwhile roll out the shortcrust pastry and put it in a baking tin. When the meringue is ready, bake the shortcrust pastry for about 30 minutes at 180°C. Place the meringue on top of the shortcrust pastry and pipe the whipped cream. Pipe the chestnut cream around the whipped cream. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy it!
RECIPE: CROSTATA - ITALIAN JAM TARTE (GRETA F.B.)
Servings: 12 servings; Preparation time:50 minutes; Cook time: 30 minutes
Crostata is one of the most classic Italian desserts. For crostata you need shortcrust pastry made with flour, sugar, eggs, butter, which is then filled with jam. There are a few differences between a CROSTATA and a PIE Crostata dough is crumblier because we use eggs and it is usually filled with jam (strawberry jam, lemon jam) or nutella. Pie dough is flakier than Crostata dough, it is not too sweet and it is usually filled with fresh fruit (apples, strawberries)
Ingredients:
Directions:
butter 100g sugar 120g flour 300g eggs 2
In a bowl mix flour, sugar, butter, and eggs and if you want a little lemon zeste. Blend the ingredients in the mixer until they combine and the dough almost form a ball. After putting aside a bit of dough to make decorations, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until you get a flat circle. Put it into a tart pan. Top the dough with your favourite jam and spread it out evenly. Cut strips from the remaining dough and make a lattice pattern on the Crostata. Fold in the edges of the Crostata over the lattice. Bake it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes 170°c (until the dough is golden). Remove from the oven and let it cool completely (a few hours). Slice and serve!
RECIPE: BISCUITS
(LEONARDO G.)
Servings: 4 people Preparation time: 20 minutes Cook time: 12 minutes Temp: 180°
Ingredients:
Directions:
250g flour 00 100g sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 yolk 1 egg 50g butter lemon zest q.b.
Sift the flour in a bowl and add the sugar, a pinch of salt, yeast, grated lemon rinds, an egg and egg yolk and melted butter. Mix the ingredients until you get a homogeneous dough. Heat the oven to 180° degrees. Sprinkle the flour on the working table. Roll out the dough with the rolling pin until you get a thin sheet. With a mould create the biscuits of the desired shape. Put the biscuits on the baking tray. Bake at 180° degrees and let cook for 12 minutes. Let cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Note: During the preparation of the dough if you prefer, you can add chocolate chips.
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE SALAMI (SARA M.)
Servings: 8 people Preparation time: 20 minutes Cook time: / Temp: /
Ingredients:
Directions:
200 g dark chocolate 150 g butter 2 eggs 170 g dry cookies 150 g sugar
Chop the dark chocolate with a knife. Melt it adding a spoon of water then let it cool. Leave the butter at room temperature for about 30 minutes, cut it into small pieces and then mix it with the sugar with an electric whip. Pour the eggs slightly beaten one at a time until they are white and frothy. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixture. Take the biscuits and chop them coarsely and add them to the chocolate. Mix the ingredients. Transfer the dough onto a sheet of baking paper and distribute it like a sausage. Lift the two ends of the sheet, take them to the centre and roll the salami until it is completely wrapped with parchment paper. Fold the two side so that the salami is tightly closed. Place it in a tray and leave it in the fridge overnight. When ready, serve it in slices. Note: Chocolate salami can be flavoured with rum or another liqueur to your liking. For a non-alcoholic version you can use orange juice or coffee.
Utensils: electric whisk bowl parchment paper platter
RECIPE: PANNA COTTA
(BEATRICE S.)
Servings: 4 people Preparation time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Temp: 5 hours in the refrigerator
Ingredients:
Directions:
3 gelatin leaves 250ml milk 250ml double cream 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds scraped out 25g sugar
1. For the panna cotta, soak the gelatin leaves in a little cold water until soft. 2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds and sugar into a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the vanilla pod and discard. 3. Squeeze the water out of the gelatin leaves, then add to the pan and take off the heat. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved. 4. Divide the mixture among four ramekins and leave to cool. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, until set. Note: Panna cotta was born in Langhe (Piedmont) in the 1900s. It is a type of Italian pudding made with cream and jelly.
RECIPE: TIRAMISÙ
(DEYBIS L.)
Servings: 8 people Preparation time: 50 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Temp: 150 °C
Tiramisù is an Italian sweet made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered and filled with a mascarpone and egg cream.
Ingredients:
Directions:
330 g Savoiardi ladyfingers 500 g mascarpone cheese 4 medium eggs 100 g sugar 300 g coffee 2 tablespoons of rum or Marsala (optional) unsweetened cocoa powder
First prepare the coffee, then add 2 tablespoons of rum or Marsala wine and let it cool down. Separate egg whites from yolks and take a bowl and whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Now in another bowl whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. When ready add mascarpone cheese. Whisk the cream slowly with the electric mixer. Now add the stiffen egg whites. Mix slowly until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Dip quickly Savoiardi Ladyfingers into the coffee and place them on a ceramic or glass cooking pan. Spread the mascarpone cream over the Savoiardi and sprinkle some cocoa powder. Add another layer of Savoiardi and then cover with another layer of mascarpone cream. Sprinkle again with cocoa powder and leave to rest for 3 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
RECIPE: CANTUCCI
(CLAUDIA B.)
Servings: 10 people Preparation time: 50 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Temp: 180 °C
Ingredients:
Directions:
500 g white flour 250 g peeled almonds 200 g granulated sugar 100g butter three eggs one teaspoon of baking powder Vin Santo wine A pinch of salt
Mix the flour with the sugar, the yeast, the melted butter, the eggs and a pinch of salt. Incorporate the slightly toasted almonds. With the dough make 5 strips, put them onto 2 baking pans covered with baking paper and bake them at 180°C for 15 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Once cooked remove them from the oven and cut them into transversal slices, about the height of a finger, then dry the cantucci in the oven for 5 minutes. Finally keep the cantucci in a box and serve them, if you want also with Vin Santo according to tradition.
RECIPE: Walnut cake with Mascarpone and coffee cream
(SARA A.)
Servings: 8 people Preparation time: 1 ½
hour
Cook time: 50 minutes Temp: 180° C
Ingredients FOR THE CAKE BASE: 200 g flour 2 eggs 100 g chopped walnuts 200 g sugar 120 ml milk 1 cup yogurt 90 ml seed oil 12 g baking powder A pinch of salt A pinch of cinnamon
FOR THE MASCARPONE AND COFFEE CREAM: 500 g mascarpone cheese 100 g powdered sugar (you can add it if you want a sweetest taste) A teaspoon of instant coffee A cup of espresso 400 g whipped cream FOR THE SYRUP: 100 ml water 1-2 spoons of sugar 50/60 ml coffee (if you want, you can do the syrup without coffee)
Directions: FOR THE CAKE BASE Shell the walnuts and chop them with a blender or with a meat tenderizer (if you don’t have a blender). Add 50 g of sugar in the chopped walnuts and mix it well. In a bowl whisk eggs with the remaining sugar (150 g). Add a pinch of cinnamon. Add also yogurt, milk and oil while you’re mixing with the electric whisk. Sift the flour with the baking powder and add them to the mixture. Add the shelled walnuts and mix. Grease and flour the cake-mould and pour in the mixture. Bake for 50 minutes at 180°C.
FOR THE CREAM In a bowl put the mascarpone cheese with the powdered sugar and coffee. Mix with the electric whisk. In another bowl whip the cream. Add the whipped cream in the bowl with the mascarpone and coffee. Mix it slowly. FOR THE SYRUP In a little pot heat the water with one or two spoons of sugar until it boils. Add also coffee if you want. FOR THE CAKE COMPOSITION Divide the cake base into two parts and top the two parts with the syrup (it must be cold). Put the cream in a pastry bag and make circles with the cream until you cover all the base. Put the other half on it and cover the cake with the remaining cream. Decorate with walnuts and serve.
RECIPE: BACI DI CREMONA (MARTINA T.)
Servings: 12 people Preparation time: 50 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Temp: 160° C
Ingredients: 135 g toasted hazelnuts 135 g butter 135 g sugar 135 g plain flour 10 g jam or chocolate cream
Directions: 1. Toast the hazelnuts and finely chop them. 2. Put the flour into a bowl and add the chopped hazelnuts, the butter (kept at room temperature) and the sugar. 3. Mix the ingredients and form a dough. Leave to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. 4. Make about 50 little flat balls with the dough, lay them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake at 160° C for 15 minutes. 5. When ready, take a ball and spread it with some jam or chocolate cream. Then cover it with another ball. Repeat until all the balls are paired. Note: Baci di Cremona are ideal to be consumed together with a good wine, light and sweet, such as Muscat, served fresh, or with a cup of hot tea.
