Baking | Radicchioblog

Il Cantuccio- Florentine Delights In The West Village

May 14, 2010

Il Cantuccio is a great little artisanal bake shop that just opened in the West Village in Manhattan. It offers a nice array of pastries including its famed Cantucci which come in a variety of flavors such as Cantucci with Almonds (original version), with Chocolate, with Prunes and with Apricots. Owned by three partners, Camilla, Simone and Leonardo, this lovely spot on the corner of Christopher Street really brought me back to Florence.

-Susannah Gold

Camilla noted that Americans haven’t yet caught on to the joys of eating schiacchiata. Schiacchiata is the name for Tuscan flatbread. It comes in both sweet and not sweet versions. Schiacchiata all’olio is one of the most typical afternoon snacks in Florence. Schiacciata is more familiar to Americans with the name Focaccia.
It is delicious as a sandwich bread with prosciutto or other meats or cheese or on its own.

Il Cantuccio is a sister restaurant to one in Florence on the Via Nazionale. There is also a third location in another town in Tuscany called Campo Bisenzio. The bakery has seating and is open from 800am to Midnight. They serve coffee and other treats for breakfast or brunch as well.

Although they have only been open for 19 days as of this blog post, it already feels like a neighborhood hangout. Warm and friendly, Il Cantuccio is a great place for a coffee. They also serve an almond paste cookie not to be missed called Brutti Buoni – loosely translated it means ugly but good.
-SG

1 Comment | Baking, Cooking, Dessert, Italian Regions, olive oil, Tuscany | Tagged: Cantucci with Almonds, Cantucci with Chocolate, Cantucci with Prunes, Florence, focaccia, Il Cantuccio, New bakery in West Village, Schiacchiata, Schiacchiata all'olio, Tuscany | Permalink
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Italian Dolci – Primo Amore

March 10, 2010

Italian meals usually end with some kind of a dessert, be it a crostata or tart usually made with fruit, a dry crumbling cake such as Sbrisolona or something richer like profiteroles, almost all meals end with desserts. These desserts are not always elaborate nor are the portions given out the type that you would see in an American diner. Instead they tend to be somewhat restrained and not quite as sugary as one might expect.

Many times the meal will finish with the ubiquitous biscotti that come from Tuscany and have been replicated throughout the world although the American version is about four times as large as the cantucci you find in Tuscany.

Not all Italian desserts are contained though. La Cassata Siciliana comes to mind. Many meals also end with Panna Cotta or other types of puddings. Another family of desserts are the Ciambelle or large donut like rings.

Here’s an easy recipe for a Ciambella.

Ingredients:

Three eggs
300 grams of sugar
300 grams of fine flour
100 grams of butter
1 packet of yeast
1 cup of milk
Grated lemon rind

Preparation:

Beat the eggs and the sugar together added the melted butter and the lemon rind. Then add the flour, the milk and last but not least, the yeast. Cook in the oven in a buttered and floured pan for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

To go with this delicious cake, you can have a semi sweet sparkling wine, such as Asti DOCG made with the Moscato grape or any recioto, passito or late harvest dessert wine. Italy has numerous dessert wines although they are not quite as famous as their dry counterparts. Sweet wines have been somewhat ignored in the past but wine lists are increasing adding variety and many of these come from Italy.

-SG

Leave a Comment » | Baking, Cooking, Dessert, Dining | Tagged: Ciambelle, Italian desserts | Permalink
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Carnevale: Celebrating With A Delicious Schiacciata Alla Fiorentina

February 16, 2010

Today is Fat Tuesday the end of Carnevale and a huge celebration in many parts of the world, particularly in Italy. Two very big festivals take place in Italy, one in Venice and the other in Viareggio on the Tuscan coast. In Florence, children dress up in costumes and throw confetti to the wind. At home, they are usually treated to a luscious piece of Tuscan sponge cake otherwise known as Schiacciata alla Fiorentina. This delicious light and airy dessert is eaten throughout the year but is a favorite around Carnevale. Lighter than American sponge cake, it can be eaten in a variety of ways including filled with whipped cream. Try this easy recipe or make a quick trip to Tuscany, whichever is easier…

SCHIACCIATA ALLA FIORENTINA (FLORENTINE SPONGE CAKE)
This is a delicious spongy cake, popular around Carnival time in February but now found year-round, particularly in shops in downtown Florence.

Makes: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

250g all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or 50g lard)
1 cup milk
grated orange peel from 1 orange
½ tsp saffron powder
90g sugar
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt
powdered sugar to decorate

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients and beat thoroughly until the batter is smooth and thick with no lumps. Grease a shallow rectangular baking pan and pour in the batter (the schiacciata should be about 2 cm high). Bake at 150°c for 30 minutes. Sprinkle plenty of powdered sugar on top of the cake.

If you want and have a sweet tooth, you can slice the cake and fill it with whipped cream or frosting. You can also put a crown in the middle during carnevale. Whoever finds the crown has good luck, legend has it.

1 Comment | Baking, Cooking, Tuscany, Uncategorized | Tagged: Carnevale, Schiacciata alla Fiorentina, Tuscany | Permalink
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Bergamotto from Reggio Calabria, A DOP Product With Many Uses

February 11, 2010

Bergamotto or Bergamot is a Citrus fruit which is grown in 45 towns in the Province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria. This interesting pear-shaped fruit with a somewhat rough skin is designated a denominazione d’origine protetta product or DOP. Essential oils extracted from this fruit are used in the perfume industry.
The tree is called the Citrus aurantium var. bergamia (also known as C. bergamia), of the Rutaceae family and is also known as the Bergamot orange.

A Bergamot is quite different from an orange or a lemon or other citrus fruits and only grows in this area of Calabria on the coastline. There is a consortium to promote and protect the fruit.

Bergamot oil is used not only in perfumes but also in cooking. It is added to traditional dishes in order to lighten the flavor. Bergamot oil can be used to contrast sweet notes in food such as crustaceans but it can also be used to offset strong flavors in game meats. One of the many uses of Bergamot oil is in sorbet or sorbetto.

Bergamot oil contains hundreds of cemical components and is also used to make cosmetics and soaps. The oils also have antibacterial properties and the product is often used in the pharmaceutical industry as well.
Last but not least, the oil from this versatile fruit is also used in after dinner liquors and in teas and infusions.

1 Comment | Baking, Calabria, Cooking, Fruits, Ingredients, Italian Regions, Travelling | Tagged: Bergamotto DOP, Calabria, Reggio Calabria | Permalink
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Tuscan Cantucci & Vin Santo – The Perfect Way to End A Meal

February 9, 2010

The word Biscotti has become part of the American lexicon. It has come to mean a long thin cookie that sometimes has nuts and sometimes doesn’t. Biscotti in Italian really means cookie not just that particular kind of cookie which is really a version of the Cantucci di Prato, an ancient Tuscan dessert that is served at the end of the meal.

Usually very dry and crunchy, it is often served with a small glass of Vin Santo. Some people dip the cookies into the Vin Santo. The cookies are very easy to make and are baked twice. The Vin Santo is a much longer process.

Here’s a recipe for the cookies which would make a great Valentine’s day gift. This recipe is for about 36 cookies.

INGREDIENTS
* 500 g bread flour
* 300 g sugar
* 250 g almonds, unpeeled
* 50 g pine nuts
* 4 eggs
* 1 tsp baking powder
* pinch of salt
* grated peel of one lemon
* a baking or cookie sheet, parchment paper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
2. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Add eggs and the rest of the ingredients until the ingredients stay together in a ball of dough.
3. On a clean surface, turn out the dough and shape it into a 3 cm wide roll as long as your baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper to help keep the cookies from sticking to the sheet (as no butter or oil is used). Place roll on the sheet, lightly flattening the top part of the roll.
4. Place sheet in oven and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the roll from the oven. The roll should be warm and firm; place it on a cutting board and cut diagonally, making 1 cm wide slices.
5. Place the slices back on the baking sheet on one of the cut sides, making sure to leave some space between each slice and place the sheet back into the oven, lowering the temperature a bit to 150°C (300°F). Bake for 15 minutes, then take the cookies out and turn them onto the other side and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Vin Santo or the wine of saints is an Italian dessert wine that is produced in Tuscany, Umbria, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Trentino.

White grapes (Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia and Canaiolo in Tuscany, Garganega and Gambellara in the Veneto and other grapes in different regions) are hand picked in the Autumn months of October and November. The bunches are left to hang dry from the rafters in a room called the Vinsantaia, which generally has many windows in order to promote air circulation and drying.

When the grapes have dried, which can go into January, they are pressed and the must that is obtained goes into the caratelli (small chestnut barrels) for fermentation. After the initial fermentation the wine is racked at least once and the caratelli are placed under the roof of the winery. Each area has a different tradition in terms of how long the wine remains in the caratelli before being bottled and eventually sold into the market.

Vin santo traditionally has a honeyed, orange taste with hints of dried fruits and nuts on the nose and palate. Usually it is an off dry or sweet wine and is the perfect way to end a special meal.

2 Comments | Baking, Dessert wines, Italian Regions, Tuscany | Tagged: Biscotti, Cantucci, Dessert Wine, Dried Grapes, Malavasia, Trebbiano Toscano, Tuscany, Vin Santo | Permalink
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La Befana, Arrival of the Magi & La Pinza Veneta

January 5, 2010

January 6 is traditionally considered the end of the Christmas holiday. It is the twelfth night of Christmas and is often called the Epiphany or L’Epifania in Italian. According to tradition, this is the day when the three wise men or the Magi visit Jesus in the manger. It has also developed into a family holiday in Italy where children are given candy and treats if they are good and coal if they aren’t. These goods are delivered by an old woman on a broomstick known as La Befana.

La Befana is supposed to be an old woman whom the three Magi met on their way to the manger. Legend has it that they asked for shelter on their way to Bethlehem and that she refused to give it to them. The story is that she said she was too busy cleaning her house, hence the broomstick as part of her image. At some point though, she changed her mind and wanted to accompany them to Bethlehem. When she went to look for them, they had vanished. She has been wandering around looking for them ever since.

In addition to bringing treats for kids, La Befana usually brings traditional desserts to the table for adults. Jan 6 is a national holiday in Italy so many people take the opportunity to have a big, traditional family meal. In the Veneto region in the North East of the country, for example, the meal generally ends with a delicious piece of La Pinza Veneta. Made with cornmeal, it is a very dense cake with raisins and figs. Most people in Italy consider La Befana the end of the holiday season and the beginning of the new year. Auguri.

2 Comments | Baking, Cooking, Italian Regions, Veneto | Tagged: Epifania, La Befana, La Pinza Veneta, Re Magi | Permalink
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A Focaccia A Day Can Keep The Doctor Away

December 15, 2009

Well perhaps the headline is an exaggeration but Focaccia is truly one of God’s inventions. Focaccia is an oven-baked bread and is somewhat similar to Pizza but is not exactly the same thing. The dough is a bit like pizza dough in texture and uses high-gluten flour, oil, water, salt and yeast.

Easy to make, this bread and pizza substitute can be made using many different toppings, including, of all things, grapes. This recipe for Schiacciata all’Uva is from the central Italian region of Tuscany. This variation on Focaccia is generally made following the end of harvest, in October and November. We like it anytime.

Red Grape Focaccia or Tuscan Schiacciata

Ingredients for forty 2 inch square pieces:

2 envelopes active dry yeast
Pinch of salt
2 cups of warm water
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
12 oz of red seedless grapes

Preparation:

Combine the yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl and let sit until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

Put the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix on low speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the sticky dough to a generously floured 6 inch square section of a counter or board. Dust the dough liberally with flour, parting the dough to form a rectangle. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes.

Dust your hands with flour and stretch the dough in each direction to twice its size. Fold the dough over itself in three, letter style and form a rectangle. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, dust with flour and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, line a standard 11 x 17 inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the parchment and spread it to cover.

Transfer the dough to the cookie sheet with a plastic scraper or spatula, trying to retain the rectangular shape as much as possible. Flip the dough over and use your fingertips to stretch the dough until it fits inside the pan. Distribute the grapes across the dough, pushing them in slightly. Put the dough in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Alternatively, the dough can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Remove the pan from the refrigerator 3 hours before baking.

Preheat oven to 500 F.

Lightly brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the pan in the oven, lower the temperature to 450F and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking the focaccia until it begins to turn a light golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Carefully peel off the parchment if necessary. Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe from Wine Bar Food by Cathy and Tony Manutuano

Leave a Comment » | Baking, Cooking, Tuscany | Tagged: focaccia, schiacciata all'uva | Permalink
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Italian Holidays – Panettone or Pandoro?

December 10, 2009

As almost everyone knows, many Italians have a Panettone as one of their holiday treats. Panettone has become almost common place even in America. Gristedes, Stop and Shop and others are now having Panettone made for them under a private label.

While no one is 100% certain, it appears that Panettone hails from Milan. It appeared in Northern Italy around the 15th century. Panettone has a dome-shaped and its interior is usually filled with candied fruit, raisins, or with chocolate or flavored cream, chocolate chips or pastry cream and even liqueurs. The exterior either can be plain or covered with confectioners’ sugar.

Pandoro on the other hand actually comes from Verona and is usually plain inside with confectioners’ sugar on the outside. People tend to like one or the other and it is rare to find both at the same table, although not unheard of certainly.

Both can be eaten together with Mascarpone cream for a few added calories. These delicious desserts are also fabulous for breakfast after they are toasted. You can actually also make great french toast with them.

A number of firms sell Panettone in the United States, including Bauli, Motta and Perugina. There are unfortunately many imitation Panettone around as well. When buying one, check the label and see if it says it is made in Italy. Many South American companies have begun creating Panettone. The product itself may be delicious but it is not made according to Italian standards.

These wonderful treats can be enjoyed by themselves or with a sparkling wine. We paired the Panettone with a great sparkling wine made from Ribolla Gialla from Azienda Agricola Colutta last night at Alta Cucina’s Italian festive wines party.

6 Comments | Cooking, Baking, Panettone | Tagged: Panettone, Pandoro, Italian Christmas Dessert | Permalink
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Italian Holiday Desserts- Struffoli From Naples, A Special Christmas Treat

December 1, 2009

As the Christmas season rolls around, one begins to think of what foods signify Christmas and the holidays. Italian regions each have their own particularities and today, we will speak about one dessert which comes from Naples, Struffoli.

Struffoli are fried balls of dough covered in honey and candied fruit. There are a great addition to any holiday meal and are not that difficult to make. The main issue is to get good honey. Together with sfogliatelle, the baba and the pastiera, struffoli are among the most well known and amusing desserts from the Campania region of Italy.

Legend has it that the dessert hails originally from Greece, when Naples was part of the Magna Grecia. Magna Grecia means Greater Greece and refers to the 7th and 8th centuries BC when Greeks populated Southern Italy in search of more land. Many inhabitants of these regions retain cultural traditions and foods that began during that time.

The name struffoli, in fact, comes from the Greek “strongulos” which means “round in shape”. This dish was originally made by nuns from the different religious orders and apparently given out in recognition of good works. Struffoli are considered good omens or harbingers of good things.

Here’s a great recipe for making struffoli from Accademia Barilla.

Pairing a dessert wine from Italy could also be a lovely idea for Christmas. Campania grows a fair amount of Malvasia Bianca but not a lot of it is sold in the United States. You can find Malvasia Bianca from Apulia more easily or try struffoli with a dessert wine from another region, such as Sicily which offers a host of dessert wines made from Malvasia and from the grape Zibibbo, also known as Moscato d’ Alessandria.

Leave a Comment » | Baking, Campania, Cooking, Italian Regions | Tagged: Campania Region, Italian desserts, Malvasia Bianca, Moscato Bianco, Naples, Struffoli | Permalink
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Fall Season Brings Chestnuts and Recipes Based On This Delicious Nut

October 27, 2009

One of the most wonderful foods to eat in the Fall are chestnuts. Chestnuts can be roasted over an open fire, crushed into a flour or made into lovely desserts. Chestnuts grow in many parts of Italy and local sagre or festivals dedicated to the chestnut can be found almost every weekend during this season.

There are many different types of chestnuts as well. According to the renowned cookbook, The Silver Spoon translated into English in the past few years, Marroni are one type of chestnut that are more refined. These have long stripes and contain more fat than there more similar cousins, the regular chestnut. They are often made into the Marron glaces desserts.

All chestnuts require many hours of cooking and work well with pork, turkey or duck, the cookbook noted. Chestnuts can be considered a side dish or a dessert. They work very well with robust red wines.

Chestnut flour can be used to make many types of pastas and other food stuffs. It is slightly sweet and is often gluten free. Many people who need to watch their gluten intake use this flour as a partial substitute for whole wheat.

One very typical dessert made from chestnuts is Castagnaccio. This is eaten in many regions and very often in Tuscany.

Here’s a lovely recipe found on this interesting blog.

CASTAGNACCIO

250 g/8,8 oz chestnut flour
400 ml/1,7 cup milk
75 g/2,6 oz pine nuts
8-10 chopped prunes
1 tbs fennel seeds
A small sprig of rosemary
1 pinch of salt
extra-virgin olive oil

- Pour some olive oil in a baking pan and ‘spread’ it out well.
- Mix the chest nut flour with the tepid milk, be careful to stir it well. If it is very thick you can add some water.
- Now you add nuts, prunes, fennel seeds, rosemary and salt and continue to stir.
- Pour it into the baking pan and coil some olive oil on top of it.
- Bake it in a pre-heated oven (175°C/350°F) for 30 minutes. Do not worry if it has cracked up-it is supposed to look like that!

My very close friend also gave me a recipe for a dessert made with chestnuts which I love. She was a Tuscan fino in fondo and served this dessert which was not what I had expected. Slightly hard to chew at first, it grew on me as I reached for piece after piece, slowly sipping my Vin Santo and chatting with Francesca. Chestnut desserts are never cloyingly sweet.

DOLCE Di CASTAGNE

35 ounces (2.2 lbs) of Chestnuts which have already been cooked and ground. In terms of cooking the chestnuts, they must be boiled in slightly salted water for an hour).

5 oz melted dark chocolate
5 oz dark chocolate
5 oz of butter
5 oz of sugar

Mix the chestnuts with the melted chocolate in a double boiler with the butter and sugar. Lay the mixture out onto a pan as if you are making a brick and put another 150 grams of dark chocolate on top with butter.

Lay the pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. After that time, take the mixture out and cut it into small cubes. At the bottom of her recipe she wrote FAVOLOSA!

4 Comments | Baking, Cooking | Tagged: Castagnaccio, Chestnuts | Permalink
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