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Posts Tagged ‘candied fruits’

  1. Fly, white dove, fly: Easter Colomba (dove) with brewer’s yeast

    April 5, 2012 by Giulietta

    A year of great success with leavened dough. And, if Christmas in Italy means Panettone, Easter means Colomba (Italian for dove).
    At this point I could talk you about the Christian meaning of the dove, I could talk about peace and olive branches .. but let's be honest, these things are not for me, since my religiosity and my closeness to the Christian religion in particular are very thin. Therefore, I face Easter like any other holiday, in a very secular and festive way, the one that rejoice over a few days home from work, some relax, some movies to see, some hours to spend with friends, some time available for cooking and baking.

    So, when I hear the word "dove" I don't think about a symbol of Christianity (I hope nobody feels offended by my spirit, or lack of spirit, depending on your point of view), but I think about this old Italian song (despite this reference to the 50s, I swear that I am not 80 years old … and anyway, if I was 80, I would be a hell of an eighty-year-old) and I think about this Italian Easter dessert.

    Therefore, because of the same secular and festive spirit above, for me celebrate Easter was about taking a weekend off, shopping and then locking myself in the kitchen with a good friend to prepare the Colomba, between a laugh, a look at some cookbook, a chat and a few other trials (between risings we made some delicious pitas, but I'll talk about them some other time), even managing to carve out some time for a beer in the evening. And, unlike the making of Panettone, we didn't even cursed so much .. perhaps, somehow, the Easter spirit manifested itself, for sure in the miracle of this dove, which is simply amazing.

    I am posting the recipe today (instead of my usual post on Saturday), so you're gonna make it for Easter Sunday, if you want to try it.

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    Category Dessert and Sweets, Easter, Holidays, Leavened | Tags: ,,,,,, | 10 Comments

  2. Panettone… and Merry Christmas

    December 25, 2011 by Giulietta

    What can I say about Panettone, except that it's the Italian Christmas dessert par excellence (for me Panettone is way way better than Pandoro)?! That I think that the scent could revive dead persons? That its softness could melt even the most hard-hearted?

    No, I prefer to say that this year I wanted to allow myself this experiment, repeated twice: the first time I failed (a wrong and too long rising, which led to a very good Panettone, but drier than it should be),  while the second Panettone was phenomenal, also thanks to Morena from Menta e Cioccolato, this recipe's mom and the one who suggested me not to give up and who gave me some successful tips.

    With this Panettone (which will cut itself by magic in exact the number of slices needed for all of you) I wish you to spend a happy and peaceful Christmas, reveling surrounded by your loved ones (I have to wish you something food-related). And I wish you that this Christmas will bring you everything that you want.

    And, last but not least, I want to thank you all for your patience in reading my rigmarole, for the affection, attention and support I feel in your every comment and every e-mail. Thank you all and, sincerely, Merry Christmas.

    … don't worry, now I leave you the recipe!
     

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    Category Christmas, Dessert and Sweets, Holidays, Home-made is better, Leavened, Lombardy, Regional Italian cooking | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 33 Comments

  3. Neapolitan masterpieces: sfogliatella riccia and Ricciardi (alliteration… is it random?)

    August 22, 2011 by Giulietta

    "The waiter returned, bringing the order: the doctor beat down on the sfogliatella, hungry. The graying mustache turned white for the icing sugar sprinkled on the soft dough; he accompanied every bite with moans of pleasure.

    "Hmmm … ask me what I love about this city, and I'll tell you: the sfogliatella! Not the sea, not the sun, but the sfogliatella."

    from "Il senso del dolore" (The meaning of pain) by Maurizio de Giovanni (p. 101)

    [my translation]

     

    If you hadn't realized it yet, reading between the lines of my posts, I'm a fierce reader, and among my favorite genres are crime, noir and thriller, although I can call myself an "omnivore" reader, 'cause I never disdain a good book, whatever genre it belongs.

    But I have a weakness for crime, in its broadest sense. Sure, I hang behind with this genre knowledge, but I struggle to be after an increasing amount of books and time, which is always a hard master. But when I find an author who catches me with his plot, his characters and his settings, time somehow carves himself out, so I can savor every page, every line, every word.

    I discovered that author last year, but since then I foretaste every book release as I wait for something that is baking in my oven: in reverent waiting, mouth-watering and with a hint of anxiety, which accompanies any discovery or confirmation.

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    Category Books and reading, Campania, Contest, Dessert and Sweets, Pastries, Regional Italian cooking | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,, | 38 Comments

  4. Easter tradition: Neapolitan Pastiera

    April 23, 2011 by Giulietta

    Tomorrow will be Easter Sunday, and I like to celebrate, rather than the religious holiday itself, that everyone feels in his own way, the huge variety of Italian culinary holidays tradition, including Easter.

    So, asking myself which dish represents Easter for me, I realized that it's not Easter cake (in Italian Torta Pasqualina), lamb, casatiello (another Campanian traditional dish for Easter) or Sicilian cassata: Easter for me is Neapolitan Pastiera. Not because it's part of my culinary background, but because on Easter, whenever arrives to me from a Campanian friend's home a slice of Pastiera, that's where the Easter party really starts for me.

    The appearance of an harmless jam tart, its fragrant short pastry shell and, hidden, a soft filling which orange blossom and cinnamon scents. And the taste?! The delicacy of cooked wheat and ricotta cheese, the sweetness of candied fruits … if I talk about Pastiera a little more I swear I'm going to cut another slice!

    In short, we are not talking about a home tradition, but we are certainly talking about a great Italian tradition which, although geographically distant from me, I feel mine! So, this is not a recipe handed down from grandmother to granddaughter, but it's a trustworthy recipe, and my trust has been amply rewarded!

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    Category Cakes and pies, Campania, Dessert and Sweets, Easter, Holidays, Regional Italian cooking | Tags: ,,,,,,,,, | 4 Comments