A sweet, but not overly so, and fruity side dish (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the novel Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal.1 The book’s structure surprised me in a good way. Each of the eight chapters has a different narrator, and each chapter contributes to telling the story of Eva Thorvald. She is technically the novel’s protagonist, but doesn’t narrate a chapter, so we see her through the perspective of others who tell their own story and their experience of, or encounter with, Eva. The narrators include Eva’s father, who dies when she is an infant, her cousin Braque, Will, who has a crush on Eva when in high school, Eva’s mother, who left the family shortly after Eva’s birth, and others. I listened to the audio book (narrated by Michael Stuhlbarg and Amy Ryan), which kept in check my desire to jump ahead and see who would be the next narrator.
Eva goes from growing exceedingly hot peppers in her room to becoming a famous and elusive chef who cooks exclusive pop-up dinners in remote locations. While I never wished to attend one of the dinners, I appreciated how Eva helped people in her life, family and strangers. The best moments of the novel for me were those describing kindness and generosity, like when Pat slips the gift card she won at the bake-off competition into the bag of someone who needs it more than she does.
The book includes many references to food, from lutefisk to pepper jelly and succotash, from a variety of bars and traditional Midwest baked goods to the courses of Eva’s famous dinners. I was inspired to create something new in terms of flavor combination, but also simple, since an additional challenge was that I traveled for four weeks between the end of June and the end of July, from Northern California to Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, so didn’t have access to my kitchen. Thankfully, I had access to farmers markets and farm stands, and seasonal produce was once again my main source of inspiration: apricots, fresh onions, particularly walla walla, and carrots. Cumin (cumino), ginger root (radice di zenzero), and fresh thyme (timo) contribute to the dish’s flavor profile.
I prepared the first rendition of this dish while we were staying in a lovely house north of Victoria, B.C. I have since made it many times using carrots of various colors. For the version in the photo I used orange and yellow carrots.
2 1/2ounces/ 70 grams ripe apricot(1 large apricot)
Equipment
skillet 10-inch / 25-cm or 9-inch / 23-cm
Method
Scrub carrots well and scrape the surface to remove a thin layer of skin, then grate using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater.
Thinly slice the onion lengthwise, then separate the layers.
Warm up the olive oil in a 10-inch / 25-cm (or 9-inch / 23-cm) skillet on medium heat.
Add the onion and stir. Lower the heat and after 2 minutes, add the cumin, ginger and thyme. Stir well and cover. Cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
Uncover the skillet, turn up the heat to medium, add the grated carrots and stir well. Cover, lower the heat and cook for 8 minutes or until the carrots are just tender.
Halve the apricot, remove the stone and thinly slice each half.
Uncover the skillet, sprinkle in the sea salt and stir well. Distribute the apricot slices on the vegetables and stir gently.
Remove from the heat and serve warm.
This side dish is sweet, but not overly so. Still, I like to pair it with something more decidedly savory. I confess it was difficult to stop eating it, either warm from the pan or at room temperature.
FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
ready to be served (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the historical novel A Bakery in Paris by Aimie Runyan1, which alternates between the story of Lisette and that of her great-granddaughter Micheline. Both lived in Paris. Lisette’s story is set during the German siege (1870-1871)2 and subsequent Commune (1871)3, that of Micheline immediately after the end of WWII.
Lisette is the original founder and owner of the title’s bakery, which Micheline reopens, offering the usual assortment of French pastries, prepared based on Lisette’s recipes (documented in a notebook and provided at the end of some of the chapters) and her culinary academy training.
One of the pastries is croquembouche (pièce montée). Years ago I made a version of it where I used melted chocolate (70% cocoa) instead of caramelized sugar (zucchero caramellato) to bind the choux pastry, because “I don’t like the contrast between the hard caramelized sugar and the lightly crisp bignè shell, which segues immediately into the soft filling. Melted chocolate offers, in my opinion, the perfect binding material: it provides stability by hardening into a layer of the right consistency, so the progression of taking one bite is: 1) crack thin layer of chocolate, 2) break crisp bignè shell, 3) glide into creamy filling. Basically, heaven.”4
After her husband, Théo, dies fighting with the Communards, Lisette, pregnant, is expected to marry her first fiancé and go to Provence (Provenza) with him until after giving birth. She ends up not going and not marrying him (again), but I decided to stay there for inspiration.
Tarte aux blettes is a Provencal dessert made with Swiss chard. While I was not interested in replicating it (we don’t eat dessert), I played with the idea of adding a sweet note to a vegetable I like and eat regularly.
For my first try, I bought a bunch of rainbow chard at the Little Wing Farm stand5 outside Point Reyes Station while I was riding my bicycle. I had planned to stop there, so had a couple of bags in my backpack. The chard was kept in a tub and I didn’t realize until I took up a bunch how big it was, with long colorful stems (which I adore!) and large leaves. When I put it in the backpack, the top stuck out giving me, I am sure, a curious appearance when riding.
At the San Rafael farmers’ market, where I shop when in the Bay Area, some vendors offer slightly blemished or overripe fruit at a discounted price, and I usually get some to add to dishes, like this one. This is the season of stone fruit and I decided to try pairing the chard with white nectarine (pesca noce or nettarina) first. I then tried using a peach (pesca), peeled, and also apricots (albicocche). All the fruit worked well. The sweetness balances the light bitter nuance of chard and the result is a side dish that nods towards dessert without being overly sweet.
1 pound / 450 grams rainbow chard or Swiss chard, stems included, up to 6-7 inches / 15-18 cm (if you have more, save them for another dish: do not discard them)
4 ounces / 112 grams red spring onion
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons / 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil OR 1 tablespoon / 15 ml extra-virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon / 15 grams unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon Harissa spice mix
2 tablespoons / 30 ml warm water if needed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
4 ounces fruit (e.g., nectarine, peach, apricot), clean weight
Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
Separate the chard stems from the leaves and chop the stems. Halve the leaves lengthwise, stack 5-6 at a time and cut them into 1-inch / 2.5-cm wide ribbons.
Warm up a 5-qt cast iron Dutch oven and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the stems and sprinkle the Harissa spice mix and thyme. Stir well and cover. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Cook for 8 minutes or until the onion is soft, stirring often.
Add the garlic and stir. After 1 minute add the chard. Cover and cook for 1 minute to let the chard wilt, then stir. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes or until the chard is tender.
In the meantime, cut the fruit into 3/4 inch / 2 cm- side cubes. If using a peach, peel it first.
When the chard is almost cooked, add the fruit, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat, sprinkle the sea salt and stir. Transfer to a plate and serve.
Serves 3
A closer look
I like to eat this side dish alongside a more decidedly savory one, like mixed vegetables with thyme6 or the roasted vegetable medley I prepare weekly using zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted corn and garlic.
FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
Farm-fresh iceberg lettuce inspired this serving option (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
Our current Cook the Books Club selection is the memoir Taste by actor Stanley Tucci1. The book included a couple of interesting sections, one pertaining the history of the highly enjoyable movie Big Night (1996),2 in which Tucci played the younger brother, Secondo. I didn't know that he had written the screenplay. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it.
The other section I enjoyed was where Felicity (now Tucci's wife) prepared roasted potatoes in a way that first surprised then alarmed the author, but that in the end won the family's approval. Although the last part of the book focuses on the cancer diagnosis Tucci received, the intense treatment he underwent and his recovery, overall the book is pretty light. I wish—and this is on the publisher, not the author—that it had been proofread by an Italian.
Reading the book in the run-up to the 16th anniversary of my little blog, made me think of all the recipes I have created for it. I decided to select a recipe from the early years and update it based on my current eating habits. The recipe I chose comes from a July 2008 post3 and features seasonal ingredients quite representative of Italian cuisine. The salad also happens to include the colors of the Italian flag (called tricolore): white, red and green (bianco, rosso e verde).
before the salad there are pretty ingredients (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
When I first moved to California, 28 years ago, it was hard to find fava beans and fennel, two foods that had been part of my life since childhood. In time, the situation changed and now I can easily purchase them where I live, when in season.
Fava beans make me think of my father, who loved them eaten fresh from the pods, with just a bit of salt. Fennel reminds me of my godfather, who ate some at the end of every meal (wiped clean with a cloth, not washed, an instruction I follow).
Even after so many years in California, our long strawberry season still thrills me. As a child, the weeks during which strawberries were available always seemed to pass too quickly. Now I know that I have time to enjoy a favorite fruit for several months.
Ready for bright colors: the view from above (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
For this update, I added a radish to the ingredients, a small peppery note to balance the sweetness of berries. (I had the idea after taking the photo above, so the radish is absent from it). Finally, a beautiful head of iceberg lettuce (lattuga iceberg) inspired me to make small boats for serving. To eat, close the leaf into a wrapper and enjoy the combination.
Wash, hull and slice the strawberries, then season them with the balsamic vinegar. Toss and set aside to marinate.
Shell the fava beans and blanch them for 30 seconds, then drain them and plunge them into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Slit the skin with your thumbnail then pinch or twist to slip the bright green core out of its coat and into a small bowl. Set aside.
Trim and clean the fennel bulb, leaving an inch or so of the green stalk to hold it when slicing. Quarter, cut off the core, and slice thinly using a mandoline. Set aside.
Grate the radish using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater.
Bring the ingredients together in a serving bowl.
Pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a small glass jar. Add sat, pepper and mustard. Put the lid on and shake vigorously. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss.Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
Sprinkle basil and fennel frond.
Toss again and serve as a side dish (contorno) or appetizer (antipasto). Alternatively, spoon some salad on iceberg lettuce leaves and serve.
Serves 3 (4 if served on iceberg lettuce).
For future reference (i.e., when it will be my turn to host Cook the Books. Tucci describes a meal he shared with legendary Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni4:
After dinner Marcello ordered a digestivo. This consisted of a half a shot of amaro and a half a shot of Fernet-Branca.
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
The current Cook the Books Club selection is Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown:
The year is 1819, and the renowned chef Owen Wedgwood has been kidnapped by the ruthless pirate Mad Hannah Mabbot. He will be spared, she tells him, as long as he puts exquisite food in front of her every Sunday without fail.1
There's the pirate ship's colorful cast of characters — Mr. Apples, the knitting thug; mysterious twins Feng and Bai; and Joshua, who can neither hear nor speak and becomes a sort of adopted son to Wedgwood — plus buried family secrets aplenty and a thorough condemnation of the inhumane trading of tea, slaves and opium.2
The novel offered a change of time and scenery to my usual reading: I sailed on the Flying Rose, met the characters, followed their adventures and on Sundays I sat down with Captain Mabbott and Chef Wedgwood to savor his dishes and their conversation. As you can imagine from the premise, there was a fair amount of food in the book, some intriguing dishes, some less so, all providing to the reader a chance to think about the limitations of cooking on a ship that spends a lot of time sailing and does not have refrigeration on board.
During a visit to an island, Wedgwood encounters lemongrass (citronella) and that gave me the idea of using it, something I have never done. However, I could not find fresh lemongrass where I have been recently, so I found inspiration in the episode where Wedgwood gets hold of fresh cabbage and makes sauerkraut (crauti) with it. Some years ago I made sauerkraut at home and realized that I am not wild about it. I do like cabbage, though, all the various types. The variety that caught my attention at recent farmers' markets is pretty red Napa cabbage.3
beauties on display at the farmers' market (brought to you by Luna Farm)
I became better acquainted with Napa cabbage a few years ago when I worked on my rendition of the Indonesian dish Orak Arik Wortel (Napa cabbage, carrot and egg scramble)5 for the cookbook Risikitchen.6 It was time to develop another recipe with it and here it is.
9 ounces / 255 grams winter squash, to obtain a clean weight of 8 ounces / 225 grams
6 ounces / 170 grams red onion
3 tablespoons / 45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
13-14 ounces / 370-40 grams red Napa cabbage
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon berbere (Ethiopian spice mix)
3 tablespoons / 45 ml lukewarm water
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
Roasted applesauce (recipe below) or your favorite applesauce (unsweetened), to serve
Remove seeds and strings from the squash (a grapefruit spoon is my favorite tool to do this). Use a sturdy swivel vegetable peeler to peel the squash, then cut it into small cubes.
Peel the onion, halve it and thinly slice it lengthwise.
Warm up the olive oil in a 10-inch deep sauté pan or large skillet on medium heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low, add the onion, stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Add the squash, stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
In the meantime, separate the Napa cabbage leaves and slice them 1/4-1/2 inch / 0.6-1.25 cm thick.
Add the garlic to the pan, sprinkle the berbere and stir well. After 1 minute, add the cabbage and the water, stir slightly (this first stirring will be a bit awkward, given the cabbage volume) and cover. Cook on low heat until the Napa cabbage and squash are tender (20 minutes or so), stirring often. Should the pan become dry, add another tablespoon of water.
Sprinkle salt, stir, taste then adjust as needed. Remove the pan from the heat.
Serve with roasted applesauce on the side. Spoon some applesauce on the portion of vegetables, stir it in and enjoy.
Serves 5.
Ingredients for a batch of roasted applesauce:
3 pounds / 1.36 kg apples (se Note below)
A generous pinch of fine sea salt
Note: Since they are left unpeeled, organic or pesticide-free apples are strongly recommended. In terms of varieties, mix sweet and tart varieties to get a balanced flavor.
Heat the oven to 500 F / 260 C.
Rinse well, quarter and core the apples. If an apple is large, cut each quarter in half lengthwise. Distribute the apples in a 3 quart / 3 liter pyrex baking dish or similar baking vessel, sprinkle the salt and stir briefly. Cover with aluminum foil and seal around the edges. Bake 30 minutes or until the apples are soft.
Remove the foil carefully to let the steam out and transfer the apples into a bowl. Purée the apples with an immersion blender. At the beginning, pulse and move the blender to start breaking the apples, then reduce them to a fairly smooth purée.
Spoon the applesauce into sterilized jars, put the lid on and store in the refrigerator.
my idea of comfort side dish (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
My side dish is not at the level of the delicacies Chef Wedgwood developed for Captain Mabbot, but it is greeted with enthusiasm at the dinner table and that, for me, is the best reward.
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
the simple elegance of a crostata always wins at the table (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
The current Cook the Books Club selection is Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber.1 On her website, the author explains:
The inspiration for this novel came years ago in a song. After hearing the Beatles' "Blackbird" for the first time, it haunted me… I was captivated with the concept of broken wings and how emotional wounds can keep many from being able to metaphorically fly… Blackbird research led me quickly to the Song of Sixpence with its “four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie,” and then a tidbit in Celtic folklore revealed that blackbirds were considered guardians and messengers of the "Other world.” With that, the heart of this book took form. What if blackbirds with their songs could pass messages from dearly departed loved ones through, of all things, pie, to bring comfort and love to those left behind?
The novel is a fairy tale (favola) set in a village in Alabama, mostly in the café of the title. Anna Kate, the protagonist, inherits the business and uses her spare time to untangle family secrets. It is a pleasant read and while the ending is fairly expected, there are a few surprises along the way.
Asian pears and other varieties of pears are delicious and in season now (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
Mulberries (more di gelso) play an important role in the story. If this were mulberry season, I would have made something with the delicious fruit, but those fleeting days are gone this year. Apples and pears of the new crop take center stage, crisp and juicy. I am Italian, so when I think about a dessert made with fruit, I think about crostata (tart). I presented crostata di mele (apple tart) some time ago2 so here I am sharing a recipe for pear tart. While the rendition on the photos uses Asian pears (pere asiatiche), the tart can be made with other pear varieties.
1/3 cup / 65 g ultrafine sugar or 1/2 cup powdered sugar (see Note 1)
1/2 cup / 60 g whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup / 65 g unbleached all-purpose flour (see Note 2)
1/4 cup / 30 g almond flour or almond meal
1/4 cup / 30 g whole-grain barley flour OR unbleached all-purpose flour OR a mix of millet and sorghum flours
A pinch of salt
6 tablespoons / 85 g / 3 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg (possibly from pastured poultry), lightly whisked to blend yolk and white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
1 cup / 240 ml fruit preserves of a flavor that goes well with pears (like berries) and made mostly with fruit (see Note 3)
1 pound / 450 g Asian pears or another variety of pears (choose one that bakes well), preferably organic (you should be left with a few extra slices to snack on)
Note 1: Ultrafine or superfine sugar is also referred to as baker's sugar. If you cannot find it, you can make your own by putting some regular granulated sugar in a food processor or blender and letting it run until the sugar is finely ground.
Note 2: The less gluten (as indicated by % protein) in the flour, the better (I like to use Perfect Pastry blend by King Arthur Flour). Do not use bread flour.
Note 3: I use my homemade low-sugar preserves. I recommend you choose a good quality product, made with mostly fruit and little sugar.
How to make the pasta frolla Put sugar, flours and salt in the bowl of the food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add butter and pulse a few times for 3 seconds at a time until the mix resembles coarse meal. Empty food processor's bowl onto your work surface.
[If you don't have a food processor: Whisk together sugar, flours and salt in a bowl. Rub or cut the butter into the sugar and flour mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. You can do this in the bowl or on your work surface, using your fingertips or an implement of choice.]
Make a well in the center of the mounded flour and butter mixture and pour the egg and vanilla extract into it. Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients, then use your fingertips.
Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball. Use some all-purpose flour as needed to flour your hands to prevent excessive sticking.
Shape the dough into a flat disk 1 inch / 2.5 cm thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. I usually make it the evening before and refrigerate it overnight.
How to prepare the bottom layer of the crostata To bake the crostata, I recommend using a 9 or 9 1/2-inch / 23-24 cm fluted round tart pan with removable bottom, about 1 inch / 2.5 cm high.
Take the pasta frolla out of the refrigerator and unwrap it. I recommend you roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper or the plastic film in which it was wrapped as it is quite crumbly.
Lightly dust with flour the top of the dough and the surface on which you are rolling it. Keep some flour handy to lightly dust the dough as you go along.
If the dough is very firm, start by pressing the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end, moving the rolling pin by a pin's width each time; turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat; when it softens, start rolling gently.
Roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch / 3 mm thick. If you used parchment paper or plastic wrap as rolling surface, flip the dough over the tart pan, centering it, and delicately press it all around so the corners are well covered. Peel away the wrap.
Trim the excess dough hanging over the edges of the pan and use it, as necessary, where you find that you came up short and/or to make the border of an even thickness all the way around. Prick the shell with a fork in several places. You will have only a small amount of dough left over, which you can use to make a thicker edge or a cookie or two (1/6 inch / 4 mm thick and cut as desired, baked at the same temperature as the tart for 15 minutes).
Refrigerate the tart shell. After 15 minutes or so, preheat the oven to 350 F / 177 C.
tart ready for the oven
How to fill the crostata Rinse, quarter and core the pears, then slice them ¼ inch / 6 mm thick.
Take the unbaked tart shell out of the fridge. With the help of a spatula distribute on it the fruit preserves in an even layer.
Arrange the pear slices in circles on top of the preserves, starting from the outside until you reach the center.
How to bake the crostata Put the crostata in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Check the tart to estimate the time remaining, then continue baking until the tart border is of a light golden hue.
Remove the tart from the oven and let cool slightly on a rack. If you used a tart pan with a removable bottom, release the tart base from the fluted tart ring. Let cool a bit longer on the rack, then, with the help of a wide spatula, slide the crostata onto a serving plate. Make sure the tart is completely cool before slicing delicately and serving.
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
Pale green or purple, kohlrabi is a stunning vegetable, with its bulbous enlarged stem and its crown of leaves. The name kohlrabi comes, via German, from the Italian cavolo rapa and literally means 'turnip cabbage'. However, kohlrabi is not a turnip, but a cultivar of Brassica oleracea, a species that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale.
Kohlrabi is a versatile vegetable: you can eat it raw, add it to soups and stews, shred it to make fritters or slice and grill it, or cube and roast it. Regardless of the skin color, the inside is a creamy white. Kohlrabi's crisp texture is reminiscent of a broccoli stem, with a flavor that is somewhat sweeter and slightly radish-like. Its leaves (foglie) are edible and can be used like you would collard greens or kale.
Kohlrabi and carrot go well together. The original recipe for this slaw was kindly shared with me by Kelsey Perone of Rain Frog Farm located near Blue Lake, CA (details in an article I wrote for the North Coast Journal1). The recipe includes raisins (uvetta) and I have also prepared it with dried cherries. The version I am sharing here uses fresh fruit instead.
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (basil, dill, parsley or cilantro)
2 tablespoons / 30 ml mayonnaise, possibly homemade
2 teaspoons / 10 ml cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 ounces / 100 grams fresh fruit, for example blueberries, strawberries, cherries, clean weight
After cutting off the leaves and their stems (remember, the leaves are edible), cut the kohlrabi in half lengthwise, then into quarters. Cut away the bottom corner and peel off the tough outermost layer. Weigh then grate the kohlrabi using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater.
Scrub the carrot well and scrape the surface to remove a thin layer of skin. Weigh then grate using the extra-coarse side of a hand grater. Place the minced onion, the vegetables and the herbs in a serving bowl.
In a ramekin, whisk together the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sea salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well.
Prepare the fruit as needed (for example, hull and slice strawberries, pit and quarter cherries, remove stone and slice peaches or apricots) then weigh it. Add the fruit to the vegetables, toss again and serve.
Serves 2-3.
diving into the bowl
In another article I wrote for the North Coast Journal, I suggest adding melon (melone) to leftovers of this slaw2.
1 My article Meet Kohlrabi (North Coast Journal, August 2, 2018) 2 My article Add Melon (North Coast Journal, August 29, 2019)
Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
la frutta addolcisce questa insalata di cavolo rapa
Verde chiaro o rosso violaceo il cavolo rapa è una verdura affascinante con la sua forma bulbosa e la sua corona di foglie. Dall'italiano cavolo rapa, attraverso il tedesco, viene il nome inglese kohlrabi. Ma non si tratta di una rapa: questo vegetale appartiene alla specie Brassica oleracea, che comprende anche broccolo, cavolo e cavolfiore.
Il cavolo rapa è un ortaggio versatile: si può mangiare crudo, aggiungere ad una zuppa, grigliare o fare arrosto. La polpa è bianco crema e la sua consistenza ricorda lo stelo del broccolo con un sapore un po' più dolce e che ricorda un po' il ravanello. Le foglie di cavolo rapa sono commestibili e si preparano come il cavolo nero o riccio.
Cavolo rapa e carota formano un ottimo connubio. La ricetta originale per questa insalata mi fu data da Kelsey Perone dell'azienda agricola Rain Frog Farm (vicino a Blue Lake, CA) per un articolo 1. La ricetta comprende l'uvetta e io l'ho preparata anche con le ciliege secche. La versione che presento qui invece utilizza frutta fresca.
Ingredienti:
200 g cavolo rapa, peso pulito
70 g carrota, peso pulito
2 cucchiai / 14 g cipollotto rosso tritato (o cipolla rossa tritata)
1-2 cucchiai erbe aromatiche fresche (basilico, aneto, prezzemolo o coriandolo)
2 cucchiai / 30 ml maionese, possibilmente fatta in casa
2 cucchiaini / 10 ml aceto di sidro di mele
1/4 cucchiaino sale fino
1/8 cucchiaino pepe nero macinato fresco
100 g frutta fresca, per esempio mirtilli, fragole, ciliegie, ecc., peso pulito
Tagliare le foglie, se presenti e metterle da parte per usarle in un'altra ricetta (sono commestibili). Tagliare il cavolo rapa a metà per lungo poi ancora a metà. Tagliare l'angolo in basso e pelare ciascun pezzo. Pesare poi grattugiare con la parte a buchi più grossi della vostra grattugia.
Pulire la carota e raschiare la superficie. Pesare poi grattugiare con la parte a buchi più grossi della vostra grattugia.
Mettere cipollotto o cipolla, le verdure e le erbe aromatiche in un'insalatiera. In una ciotolina, mescolare gli ingredienti della salsina: maionese, aceto, sale e pepe. Versare la salsina sulle verdure e mescolare bene.
Se necessario, preparare la frutta: per esempio rimuovere il picciolo e affettare le fragole, snocciolare e tagliare in quarti le ciligie, ecc. Pesare poi aggiungere all'insalata e mescolare di nuovo, poi servire.
Porzioni 3.
visione dall'alto
In un altro mio articolo, suggerisco di aggiungere del melone agli avanzi di questa insalata2.
1 Il mio articolo (in inglese) Meet Kohlrabi (North Coast Journal, 2 Agosto 2018) 2 Il mio articolo (in inglese) Add Melon (North Coast Journal, 29 Agosto 2019)
Porto la mia insalata di cavolo rapa, carota e frutta fresca sulla tavola del 6° mese del gruppo Fattoria consapevole e solidale: Frutta fresca
fruit fresh from the farmers market makes a great post-run salad (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
The story told by Daniel Stone in his book The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats1 is fascinating, at times riveting, and I found myself staying up late some evenings to read what would happen next. Before reading the book, I didn't know who David Fairchild was. Also, I didn't know who Frank Meyer was, though I am a great fan of the Meyer lemon, named after him; had never read the full story behind the Haas avocado; had no idea how Japanese cherry blossom trees had ended up blooming in Washington D.C. and wondered why a town in Southern California was called Mecca.
These are just a handful of the stories told in the book2, which I recommend to all. In brief, David Fairchild went around the world looking for plants that could be grown in the US, with the stated goal of improving agricultural production in the country. In time, there were also others contributing to that work (Frank Meyer being one of them). The book narrates Fairchild's fascinating life, from his fateful encounter with millionaire Barbour Lathrop, who will finance a lot of his travels, to his marriage with the daughter of inventor Alexander Graham Bell, to his retirement in Southern Florida3 where he helped create a botanical garden which bears his name4.
fresh Yellow Barhi dates (Khalal stage) at the Berkeley farmers market5
The book details not only Fairchild's successes, but also the difficulties he surmounted in his quest and the opposition he faced in later years. Such opposition will not surprise us: importing live plants from around the world risks importing live pests with potentially devastating effects. Ironically, the person mainly responsible for stopping Fairchild's activity had been his best man. The two exposed their different point of views in articles published by the National Geographic Magazine. Fairchild's is titled Our Plant Immigrants6.
date palm in Thermal, CA
Of the many stories Stone recounts, one that particularly resonated with me is that of dates7. We spent the early days of this year in the Coachella Valley in Southern California, where date palms are everywhere. We also went through a town called Mecca and I wondered what connection to the famous Arabian city had prompted the naming7,8.
Also, as I was reading the book, I encountered fresh Yellow Barhi dates at the Berkeley farmers market. I had never seen fresh dates up close and personal (the view from the bottom of a palm being the closest I had come to them before) and I had no idea you could eat them before they were completely brown. The sign in the photo from the market says "Traditionally served when half yellow and half soft." Before I purchased the branch in the photo below, I tasted one that was indeed half yellow and half soft: it was a revelation. Sweet, but not as sweet as a fully dried one, the date retained a bit of crunch and had a hint of coconut.
fresh Yellow Barhi dates (Khalal stage) (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
It has taken my dates longer than I expected to reach the half yellow & half soft stage (called partially-rutab, where rutab is the final, soft stage9), but now they have finally started to do so and I appreciate that they are going slowly, so I get a couple a day ready to enjoy.
Fairchild introduced many types of fruit to the US (though his personal favorite, the mangosteen, never took hold here), so it was easy to decide to make a fruit salad (macedonia) for my breakfast (colazione) with fruit we eat because of his and his department's work and that is available now at the farmers market: Asian pear (pera asiatica), watermelon (cocomero), fig (fico), besides dates. Fairchild also tried to introduce the cashew tree, but domestic production never took hold, though consumption of cashew nuts (anacardi) did.
1 fig (Turkish brown in my case: Fairchild introduced the Calimyrna fig)
2 fresh Bahri dates, half yellow and half soft OR two soft dates
1 teaspoon cashew butter (Chunky Almond, Cashew & Coconut Nut Butter10 in my case) diluted with 1 teaspoon water OR a drizzle of lime juice
If possible, choose all organic fruit.
Cut the Asian pear and watermelon into bite-sized pieces. Peel the fig and cut it into 6 pieces.
Cut the dates lengthwise, remove the pit and slice crosswise. Place all the fruit in a small bowl.
Drizzle the diluted nut butter (or lime juice) on the fruit and toss gently. Enjoy!
Best post-run breakfast ever, or delicious dessert.
The photo above shows the version with fully ripe dates and lime juice.
1 The book introduction on the author's website 2 Articles talking about the book: on the Smithsonian website, on the NPR website, and an interview with Daniel Stone on CBS 3This post includes recipes directly connected to the Kampong, the Fairchilds' home in Florida 4 The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden website 5 From Flying Disc farm in Thermal, CA 6 Fairchild's article Our Plant Immigrants published on the National Geographic Magazine in April 1906 7 This article on the NPR website contains some information on the establishment of date palms in the Coachella Valley of Southern California 8Mecca, CA on wikipedia 9 This photo of Bahri dates shows the stages 10The Cashew and You (article on the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden website) 11 I tasted the Chunky Almond, Cashew & Coconut Nut Butter from Ground Up at a farmers' market I visited while in Portland and fell in love with it. (Disclaimer: I have no business relationship with the company, Ground Up)
Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
This is also my second contribution to the 37th edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started 12 years ago and that I continue to host.
FTC disclosure: I have received the table linen free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
I read the novel Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers1 by Sara Ackerman, the current selection of the Cook the Books club, in just a few days: the story is interesting, at the level both of the individual characters and of the historical background. To the tragedies of World War II and of the internment of Japanese-Americans, the novel, set on the Big Island of Hawaii, adds the personal tragedies of Violet, whose husband disappeared a year before the story starts, and of their daughter, Ella, whose distress hints at a devastating secret she cannot share.
The title refers to the soldiers stationed on the Big Island (who in the course of the story are sent to fight on Iwo Jima) and the pies Violet and her friends bake and sell to said soldiers, some of whom will play a large role in their lives.
Against the backdrop of war, most people try to live each day with hope, purpose and empathy. Violet is also determined to find out what happened to her husband. A character one would not expect in the novel is Roscoe, a lion and the soldiers' mascot, with whom Ella develops a special relationship.
The point of view alternates between Violet to Ella, which gives texture to the narration (my one quibble here being that Ella's language often feels more appropriate to an older person). I let myself be transported to what is one of my favorite places in the world.
When I think about my visits to the Big Island, one vivid memory is that of tropical fruit (frutta tropicale). A tray of it, including a bunch of small ripe bananas, always awaits us in the kitchen of the place where we stay2.
apple bananas
I immediately fell for the small, sweet bananas called apple bananas3, whereas it took me some time to warm up to macadamia nuts. Tasting freshly roasted and lightly salted fresh macadamia nuts at the farmers' market finally made me a convert: they are so good, they are addictive.
A steady supply of apple bananas and macadamia nuts made me think about a possible dessert combining the two. A minimal kitchen made sure I kept it simple.
Cavendish banana and store-bought macadamia nuts
On the mainland I replicated the recipe with regular bananas (Cavendish) and roasted Hawaiian macadamia nuts with a touch of sea salt that I found at the local store. I close my eyes and as I eat, I dream of the Big Island.
A few macadamia nuts, previously roasted and with a touch of sea salt added
A small amount of coconut oil or other fat of choice
Slice the banana not less than 1/4 inch / 6 mm thick. Finely chop the macadamia nuts and set them aside.
Warm up a small cast-iron skillet on medium heat, then add the oil and make sure there is a thin film all around (you don't want the banana to stick to the pan nor to be drenched in oil).
Distribute the banana slices in the skillet and turn down the heat to medium-low. After a couple of minutes, gently flip the slices. The goal is to get a thin caramelized layer. After a couple of minutes, remove from the heat and transfer the slices onto a serving plate.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts on them. Serve immediately.
the original, prepared on the Big Island (archive photo)
When I shared the recipe with two local young men (our guides for a pre-dawn hike), one of them suggested to add a bit of honey (miele). Local honey, another product you can find at the farmers' market is excellent. For me personally the recipe is sweet enough as is, but I leave the suggestion on the table in case you want to try.
1 The book's website 2 You can see some photos of Hawaiian fruit in some of my older posts: from 2010, 2012 and 2014 3 Some information on apple bananas
Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:
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sweet, salty, soft, crunchy: the best of all worlds
It is stone fruit season! There are plums (prugne) and apricots (albicocche) and then plumcots, pluots and apriums.
More than a century ago, horticulturalist Luther Burbank bred the plumcot with a 50-50 plum and apricot split. However, it was Floyd Zaiger who revolutionized the fruit and made it widely available.
Zaiger bred the plumcot with a plum to create the pluot — three-fifths plum and two-fifths apricot — and coined the trademarked moniker. While the plumcot is a simple plum and apricot cross, pluots and apriums (70 percent apricot and 30 percent plum) are the result of intricate crossbreeding over several generations.
… the fruit are crossbred naturally. Zaiger performs no genetic modification and accelerates the natural selection process through hand pollination.1
Some time ago, I won the London The Cookbook2 by Cara Frost-Sharratt from a giveaway on the Bookclub Cookbook website3: "Part recipe collection and part travel guide, the book… features 50 recipes from London’s best restaurants…" and food producers. The pages dedicated to Crown & Queue Meats4 include a recipe for Cobnut parcels5 that I bookmarked immediately for the future stone fruit season.
The recipe calls for cobnuts "a variety of hazelnut that are usually in season from August to September when you can buy them fresh, still in their husks"2,6. It also calls for damsons or greengages or Victoria plums7. I would not let the fact that I could not find any of those ingredients in my corner of the world deter me from trying the recipe.
I visited several East Bay farmers' market, talked to farmers and ran tests. I could not find a plum or pluot variety available this time of the year with a stone that can be easily removed, so I tried using apricot, aprium and plumcot, all with success. And I chose pecans to take the place of cobnuts, because I love pecans and they go well with apricots and also because the process to peel hazelnuts (nocciole) is not a favorite activity.
The photo gallery (click on any thumbnail to see a larger version, then scroll using left and right arrows) includes images of the preparatory steps: 1) two of the fruit varieties I tried; 2) thinly sliced pancetta; 3) fruit ready to be stuffed; 4) fruit filled with pecan mix; 5) parcels ready to go into the oven.
Once you have the ingredients, the dish is easy to prepare and takes a short time to cook in the oven. The result is a delicious combination of sweet fruit softened by cooking, savory and fat pancetta, crunchy pecans.
4 large apricots or apriums or plumcots, possibly organic, ripe, but with firm flesh
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary needles
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 ounce / 30 g pecans, lightly toasted in a dry skillet or in the oven, cooled and minced
A squeeze of lemon juice
1 tablespoon / 15 g unsalted butter, melted
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 ounces / 55 g pancetta thinly sliced
Note 1: the parcels' flavor and texture depend on the fruit used. Apricots and apriums are sweeter than plumcots. Apriums' texture is close to that of apricots. Plumcots' skin is closer to that of plums. Embrace those differences: try different varieties of fruit, including, if you find them, plum varieties whose stone comes away easily. The original recipe calls for damsons, greengages or Victoria plums.
Note 2: I use what we call pancetta arrotolata (rolled). I ask the butcher to cut it thin. In Italy we also have pancetta tesa (flat). The original recipe calls for Crown & Queue's Black-pepper Cured Pork Belly, which from the photo of the dish in the cookbook looks like pancetta tesa. You won't need the whole quantity, but once you have it you can use in other dishes. Pancetta is so good!
Heat the oven to 350 F / 177 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Rinse the fruit, cut in half and remove the stone. (The original recipe calls for cutting a small circle off the bottom, so the plums will sit flat when placed with their stone holes up, but I did not find that necessary with the fruit I used.)
In a small bowl or ramekin, combine the ginger, rosemary, garlic and pecans. Add the lemon juice and butter, and season lightly with salt and pepper (bear in mind that the pancetta will contribute its seasoning to the dish). Stir well.
Spoon the mixture into the fruit's stone holes to form small mounds. Carefully lay slices of pancetta over each fruit half. Place the resulting parcels on the lined baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the pancetta begins to soften and melt and the stuffing is hot (8-10 minutes).
Increase the oven temperature to 425 F / 218 C and if possible switch to broil. Continue to cook the parcels until the pancetta begins to crisp and the fruit begins to sizzle.
Serve warm.
sun on a plate: apricot on the left, plumcot on the right (placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)
It is an appetizer, but honestly, I have eaten it as dessert.
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This is my introduction to the "turf" (meat) appetizers installment of Menu Lib(e)ro the current game played by the notorious Abbecedario gang (Italian, European e world). I am the host for the next two weeks. The overall aim of the game is to create a menu with recipes from cookbooks we own.
Contribute a cookbook-inspired recipe for a meat appetizer (other than the one I prepared) and follow the instructions in this post. Add the link to your post in a comment below.
Evviva la stagione di albicocche, prugne, pesche e affini!
Dal libro London The Cookbook1 di Cara Frost-Sharratt, ecco la mia versione della ricetta perCobnut parcels2 adattata agli ingredienti che ho a disposizione: noci pecan invece di cobnut (un tipo di nocciole) e albicocche, aprium (ibrido 70% albicocca e 30% prugna) o plumcot (ibrido 50% albicocca e 50% prugna), invece di prugne damson o greengage o Victori.aa
La galleria di foto (cliccate su un thumbnail per ingrandire l'immagine e poi usate i tasti con le frecce a destra e sinistra per cambiare immagine) mostra i passaggi preparatori: 1) due dei tipi di frutta che ho utilizzato; 2) pancetta tagliata sottile; 3) frutta pronta per il ripieno; 4) frutta ripiena col misto di noci pecan; 5) i pacchetti pronti per essere infornati.
Una volta che avete gli ingredienti, questo antipasto è facile e veloce da preparare. Il risultato è un connubio di frutta dolce, pancetta saporita e noci pecan croccanti: rendo l'idea?
Ingredienti (per 4 persone):
4 albicocche grandi oppure aprium o plumcot (se le trovate in Italia), possibilmente bio, mature, ma con la polpa soda
1/2 cucchiaino di radice di zenzero fresca grattugiata
1/2 cucchiaino di aghi di rosmarino tritati finemente
1 spicchio d'aglio, sbucciato e tritato finemente
30 g noci pecan, tostate leggermente in una padellina a secco o in forno, lasciate intiepidire e tritate finemente
Una spruzzata di succo di limone fresco
15 g di burro non salato, fuso
Sale fino e pepe nero macinato fresco, q.b.
55 g pancetta tagliata sottile
Nota 1: albicocche e aprium sono più dolci di plumcot. La polpa dell'aprium è simile a quella dell'albicocca. La buccia del plumcot è simile a quella della prugna. Utilizzate diversi tipi di frutta e otterrete un piatto diverso. La ricetta originale è realizzata con prugne damson, greengage o Victoria.
Nota 2: La ricetta originale utilizza Crown & Queue's Black-pepper Cured Pork Belly3. Io ho usato della pancetta arrotolata tagliata sottile perché non ho trovato della pancetta tesa (Vi ricordo che non abito in Italia).
Scaldate il forno a 177 C. Foderate una placca da forno con un tappetino da forno di silicone o con carta da forno.
Lavate la frutta, tagliatela a metà e togliete il nocciolo. (La ricetta originale suggerusce di tagliare un piccolo disco sul fondo in modo che le prugne si mantengano in posizione con la parte concava rivolta verso l'alto: questo passaggio non è necessario col tipo di frutta che ho utilizzato io.)
In una ciotolina unite lo zenzero, il rosmarino, l'aglio e le noci pecan. Aggiungete il succo di limone e il burro fuso e condite con un pochino di sale e pepe (tenete presente che la pancetta contribuisce questi condimenti al piatto). Mescolate bene.
Riempite l'incavo della frutta con il misto di noci formando una collinetta. Depositate fettine di pancetta sopra ogni pezzo di frutta. Trasferite i "pacchetti" sulla placca da forno preparata in precedenza e infornate.
Cuocete fino a quando la pancetta comincia ad ammorbidirsi e il suo grasso a sciogliersi e il ripieno è ben caldo (8-10 minuti).
aumentate la temperatura del forno a 218 C e se possibile accendete il grill. Continuate a cuocere i pacchetti fino a quando la pancetta comincia a imbrunire ai bordi e la frutta a sfrigolare.
Servite i pacchetti caldi.
sole sul piatto: albicocca a sinistra, plumcot a destra (tovaglietta di La FABBRICA del LINO)
È un antipasto, ma onestamente io l'ho mangiato anche come dessert.
Questo è il post introduttivo della puntata antipasti di terra (carne) del Menu Lib(e)ro, il gioco attualmente in corso ad opera della nota banda dell'Abbecedario (italiano, europeo e mondiale). Io ospito da oggi e per due settimane. Lo scopo del gioco è creare un menu con ricette dai libri di cucina che possediamo.
Contribuite una ricetta per antipasto di carne diversa da quella mia e seguite le istruzioni in questo post. Mettete poi il link al vostro post in un commento qui sotto.
FTC disclosure: I have received the placemat free of charge from the manufacturer (la FABBRICA del LINO). I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for presenting it on my blog. The experience shared and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy, the current selection of our Cook the Books Club, is a well-known children's book in the US. It was an interesting read, giving me a glimpse into some of the literature people my age were exposed to during their childhood and a view into rural life and related activities in an age and place quite removed from mine. For Almanzo and his family the year was marked by the seasonal work they did, and that work is described in detail by Ingalls Wilder. There is also moral content, mostly with regards to money.
The distance in time and place between the book and me made some parts jarring and in this light, it was particularly interesting to listen to a recent piece on NPR on Ingalls Wilder on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of her birth1. As usual, I am thankful to belong to a book club that exposes me to works I would not have read on my own.
There is a lot of food in the book and also something dear to my heart: the imperative of avoiding food waste. This topic recurs in the story including in the chapter connected to my choice of recipe. First Almanzo and his siblings harvest apples by hand, careful not to bruise them so they won't spoil when put into storage.
it's apple season!
The other apples are pressed into cider (sidro). Making use of less than perfect apples was the subject of an article I wrote a few years ago1. I regularly buy such apples (called seconds at farmers' market around here) and eat them out of hand or use them in my kitchen. Their main fault usually a tiny bruise or discoloration that can be easily removed, or a non-conformant shape.
Almanzo likes all pies. I have nice memories of the first apple pie I tasted, during my first stay in the UK, homemade by my landlady with apples from her garden. Being Italian, my preference goes to crostata, the traditional Italian tart.
The base (shell) of a crostata is made of pasta frolla (or pastafrolla), a dough of flour, sugar, butter and eggs. In the filling of this crostata I celebrate the change of seasons by using plum preserves from summer and apples from the new crop.
1/3 cup / 65 g ultrafine sugar or 1/2 cup powdered sugar (see Note 1)
1/2 cup / 60 g whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup / 65 g unbleached all-purpose flour (see Note 2)
1/4 cup / 30 g almond flour or almond meal
1/4 cup / 30 g whole-grain barley flour OR unbleached all-purpose flour OR a mix of millet and sorghum flours
A pinch of salt
6 tablespoons / 85 g / 3 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg (possibly from pastured poultry), lightly whisked to blend yolk and white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
1 cup fruit preserves of a flavor you like that goes well with apples and made mostly with fruit (see Note 3)
2 apples, about 10 ounces / 280 g, of a variety that is sweet and crisp, organic if possible
Note 1: Ultrafine or superfine sugar is also referred to as baker's sugar. If you cannot find it, you can make your own by putting some regular granulated sugar in a food processor or blender and letting it run until the sugar is finely ground.
Note 2: The less gluten (as indicated by % protein) in the flour, the better (I like to use Perfect Pastry blend by King Arthur Flour). Do not use bread flour.
Note 3: I use my homemade low-sugar preserves. I recommend you choose a good quality product, made with mostly fruit and little sugar.
How to make the pasta frolla Put sugar, flours and salt in the bowl of the food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add butter and pulse a few times for 3 seconds at a time until the mix resembles coarse meal. Empty food processor's bowl onto your work surface.
[If you don't have a food processor: Whisk together sugar, flours and salt in a bowl. Rub or cut the butter into the sugar and flour mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. You can do this in the bowl or on your work surface, using your fingertips or an implement of choice.]
Make a well in the center of the mounded flour and butter mixture and pour the egg and vanilla extract into it. Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients, then use your fingertips.
Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball. Use some all-purpose flour as needed to flour your hands to prevent excessive sticking.
Shape the dough into a flat disk 1 inch / 2.5 cm thick and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. I usually make it the evening before and refrigerate it overnight.
How to prepare the bottom layer of the crostata To bake the crostata, I recommend using a 9 or 9 1/2-inch / 23-24 cm fluted round tart pan with removable bottom, about 1 inch / 2.5 cm high.
Take the pasta frolla out of the refrigerator and unwrap it. I recommend you roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper or the plastic film in which it was wrapped as it is quite crumbly.
Lightly dust with flour the top of the dough and the surface on which you are rolling it. Keep some flour handy to lightly dust the dough as you go along.
If the dough is very firm, start by pressing the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end, moving the rolling pin by a pin's width each time; turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat; when it softens, start rolling gently.
Roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch / 3 mm thick. If you used parchment paper or plastic wrap as rolling surface, flip the dough over the tart pan, centering it, and delicately press it all around so the corners are well covered. Peel away the wrap.
Trim the excess dough hanging over the edges of the pan and use it, as necessary, where you find that you came up short and/or to make the border of an even thickness all the way around. Prick the shell with a fork in several places. You will have only a small amount of dough left over, which you can use to make a thicker edge or a cookie or two (1/6 inch / 4 mm thick and cut as desired, baked at the same temperature as the tart for 15 minutes).
Refrigerate the tart shell. After 15 minutes or so, preheat the oven to 350 F / 177 C.
apples — thinly sliced with the help of a mandoline
How to fill the crostata Rinse well the apples and cut them into quarters. Slice them thinly crosswise using the thinnest setting of a mandoline or similar tool.
Take the unbaked tart shell out of the fridge. With the help of a spatula distribute on it the fruit preserves in an even layer. Fan out the apple slices and distribute them over the fruit preserves to make an even layer that will look quite beautiful once the tart is baked.
How to bake the crostata Put the crostata in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Check the tart to estimate the time remaining, then continue baking until the tart border is of a light golden hue. Make sure the apples don't burn at the edges. (If that is about to happen, cover the tart loosely with foil and continue baking.)
Remove the tart from the oven and let cool slightly on a rack. If you used a tart pan with a removable bottom, release the tart base from the fluted tart ring. Let cool a bit longer on the rack, then, with the help of a wide spatula, slide the crostata onto a serving plate. Make sure the tart is completely cool before slicing delicately and serving.
[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]
This is also my contribution to the 31st edition of Novel Food, the literary/culinary event that Lisa of Champaign Taste and I started some time ago and that I continue to host.
This is my contribution to the current selection of our Cook the Books hosted by me, Simona of briciole. (You can find the guidelines for participating in the event on this page.)
