Tuscan Cooking Demonstration (video)

This week Hippocrene has the distinct pleasure of following up on our previous entries on Tuscan cooking from authors Madeline Armillotta and Diane Nocentini with a video cooking demonstration. Here's what Diane has to say:

For the first time in six years my family and I had the opportunity to return to my childhood home in Victoria for our summer vacation. We had a memorable holiday, which included a wonderful highlight: my husband Paolo and I gave a cooking demonstration to a class at the Cooking and Lifestyle Centre of Thrifty Foods, in the newly constructed Tuscan Village. The coordinator and “in house” chef, Eva Cherneff, welcomed and helped us settle into their fabulous little kitchen. Prior to the arrival of the students, Eva set the mood with some appropriate music and, with Andrea Bocelli playing in the background, we commenced preparation. As this was a new experience, I admit to being “slightly nervous” during the presentation (saying things like fishes instead of fish, not the kind of thing an English teacher should be doing!) but the family atmosphere and kind group made the event a genuine pleasure. Paolo was an excellent assistant and, with a little Italian flare, we demonstrated and served a delicious first class meal. The menu included; Tomato and Herb Crostini, Mini Pizzas, Smoked Salmon and Cream with Butterfly Pasta, and a modified version of Sea Bass Baked in Foil. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the food, Italian banter and music, and the lively conversation throughout the demonstration. In the end, I was presented with a lovely bouquet of sunflowers and a heartfelt round of applause. Many of the students ordered extra books, as they wanted to share Tastes from a Tuscan Kitchen with family and friends. Needless to say, I finished with a great feeling of relief and satisfaction, and was thrilled that the presentation had been such a success! I hope you will all enjoy the attached video footage and photos taken during this event. The two crostini dishes and the pasta dish are simple to prepare, as you will see on the video, but I have added photos of the preparation and presentation of the Sea Bass Baked in Foil. We modified this recipe during the demonstration due to time limits, and I want all of our readers to see how it is traditionally served. This is a family recipe which Mimmo, Madelaine’s husband, shared with us. It originates from the region of Puglia, and is a very tasty specialty which is served year round.

The video, in three parts, is below, and the three recipes features will be added to the blog over the next three days.







Also, Diane and Madeline recently informed us that Thrifty's, the location for the demonstration, has recently decided to offer Tuscan gift baskets--filled with key Italian cooking ingredients and a copy of Tastes from a Tuscan Kitchen--for Christmas. If you would be interested in learning how to contact Thrifty's or how to put these baskets together to give or sell yourself, please contact us at info@hippocrenebooks.com.

Tacchino Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Turkey)

Today we have another post from Tastes from a Tuscan Kitchen, this time provided by Madeline Armillotta, who writes to us from the road:

On writing this post whilst visiting my mother in England I was faced with a dilemma: As my mother has no interest whatsoever in food and greatly dislikes cooking, her kitchen in unequipped and just contains the basics. On flicking through our book I pondered which recipe to make and soon realized that my selection was rather limited, as she does not possess a non-stick saucepan. This eliminated my original idea of making our delicious "Turkey Roll" (on page 78). I finally decided instead on "Mediterranean Turkey", which is simple to prepare and has a shortish cooking time.

Here's the recipe:

Serves 6.

½ cup flour
6 thin slices (2 pounds) boneless turkey breast
¼ cup olive oil
½ large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 small zucchini, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¾ cup dry white wine1 (8-ounce) can plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
salt and black pepper

Dredge the turkey with flour. Heat half of the olive oil in a large nonstick pan, and brown the turkey on both sides. Remove from the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the other half of the olive oil to the pan and heat. Saute all the vegetables until tender, for about 15 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, and the basil and oregano. Stir well, until smooth. Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper. In a large baking dish, pour a layer of sauce on the bottom, lay the turkey over the top, and cover with the remaining sauce. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

I finished cooking this dish in the saucepan--adding 2 cups of water and then reducing the sauce and not baking it in the oven, as we originally suggested in the recipe. I served it with boiled rice, which soaked up the sauce perfectly and was a good contrast to the distinct flavor of the turkey. My friends that had come to lunch all agreed that it was a great choice and, believe it or not, even my mother liked it!


Thanks to Madeline for the delicious pictures!

Crostata di Marmellata Tradizionale (Traditional Jam Tart)

This week Hippocrene Cooks features entries from Madeline Armillotta and Diane Nocentini the authors of Tastes from a Tuscan Kitchen, which brings the rich flavors of Tuscany to the everyday American kitchen. In our first entry, Diane imparts some tips for preparing a delicious dessert:

The recipe I have chosen to share with our readers is a timeless classic, the Crostata di Marmellata Tradizionale, or Traditional Jam Tart. I have always had a weakness for desserts and I chose this one mainly for selfish reasons. It is one of my favorite desserts, and I also enjoy the preparation. It gives me a real sense of home when I set about baking a tart. Combining the flour and butter, kneading the dough, rolling it out, spreading the jam, decorating the top, and finally the smell that emanates from the oven while it bakes. This may sound a bit strange, but I find the whole process very relaxing. Another reason is that I connect this dessert with the word festa (party), as all celebratory meals in Tuscany include two or three mouthwatering tarts on the dessert table. From baptisms to weddings, or even simple family gatherings, it is the dessert most commonly served. There are several reasons behind the popularity of crostata: it is a wholesome example of genuine Tuscan cuisine, it is delicious, attractive, and utilizes the seasonal fruits of the region. Homemade preserves are frequently used, but a high quality store-bought variety is a fine substitute. Blackberry, apricot and strawberry jam are the most popular varieties selected by Tuscans. My mother-in-law makes her own blackberry jam, and I can personally testify that the resulting tarts are divine. Before you start, ensure that you have soft butter. I take the butter out of the fridge the night before making this tart. I work with my hands and combine the butter and flour until it is crumbly, and then I add the remaining ingredients (except for the jam). As the recipe specifies, you must allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes, prior to rolling it out. To save time, I usually press the dough directly into the flan dish. If you are left with any excess dough, the following recipe includes a “variation” for making excellent cookies.

Makes one 10½-inch tart.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup butter, softened
grated zest of one lemon
2 cups jam


Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the jam to the bowl, and working with your hands, gently incorporate them. For best results, try not to knead the dough more than necessary. Cover and let the dough rest for a ½ hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Flour a pastry board and roll out two-thirds of the dough until until it is 1/3-inch thick and will fit a 10½-inch diameter flan dish. Line the flan dish with the pastry. Fill the pastry base with the jam topping. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into long strips. Crisscross these strips over the jam to create a lattice effect. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

Variation:
This pastry also makes excellent cookies. Roll out the dough, until it is 1/3-inch thick, and using cookie cutters, cut into your desired shapes. They can be decorated with pine nuts, almonds, raisins, chocolate morsels, or blobs of jam. Bake in a preheated oven (350°F) for 10 to 12 minutes. Kids love them, especially if they participate in the decorating!


Thanks to Diane for the wonderful pictures!

Jellied Cocoa Pudding

Many Taiwanese meals conclude with a thin custard or jelly, as it is called. The texture is very light, and the taste is pleasing, not heavy or overly sweet. Jellied Cocoa Pudding is especially cool and refreshing on a hot August night!

Makes 4 servings

4 candied cherries
1 can (15 ounces) sliced peaches
1 cup shelled raw peanuts
1 cup shelled raw almonds
6 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup raw or white sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Place a candied cherry in each of 4 teacups. Top each cherry with a cut-up peach slice. Process the peanuts, almonds, and 3 cups water in a blender until liquefied. Strain the juice, discarding the pulp. Combine the cornstarch with 6 tablespoons water. Heat the juice, sugar, and cornstarch mixture over high heat, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. When mixture comes to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken, stirring constantly. Ladle ½ cup of the custard mixture into each cup, covering the fruit.

Whisk the cocoa powder into the remaining custard mixture. Blend thoroughly then distribute evenly among the 4 cups, carefully spooning the cocoa mixture over the other ingredients. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or until the custard has set.

Invert the cups onto a shallow serving platter, so that the cherries are on the top. Garnish with the remaining peach slices. If desired, spoon several tablespoons of the peach juice over all.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. This post is a member of the Chinese Father's Day menu series.

Stir-Fried Crab with Bamboo Shoots

Serves 4

½ cup chopped pork
½ cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup (8-ounce can) thinly sliced bamboo shoots
2 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup sesame oil
1 cup fish or vegetable stock
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
1 cup crabmeat, cooked
2 tablespoons oyster sauce (see above)
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Preheat the oven to 475º. Stir-fry the pork, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, green onions, and garlic in the oil for 6 minutes, or until the pork is thoroughly cooked and the vegetables are tender. Add the stock to the vegetables. Combine the cornstarch and water and stir into the mixture. Allow it to come to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Carefully pick over the crabmeat, discarding any bits of shell. Add the crabmeat and oyster sauce and heat through. Pour the mixture into a large serving bowl. Mound the egg whites in the center, spooning several tablespoons of the sauce over all. Place in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the egg whites are golden brown.

Picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. This post is a member of the Chinese Father's Day menu series.