From My Italian Kitchen: A Simple Dessert

It’s easy to find good (and decadent) desserts in Italy - it seems as though there is a pasticceria on every corner. Their windows and display cases are filled with tarts, cakes, sweet breads, and cookies - all of which are sure to taste delicious. Think rich ricotta, pastry cream, chocolate, and jam-filled delicacies (the ones pictured below are from the wonderful Pasticceria Sandra L’Angolo Dolce in Lucca)..

As wonderful as these are, sometimes I want to serve a dessert that is homemade and a little less rich. That was certainly true the first time I entertained friends after the hubbub (and feasting) of the holidays. The lunch I served was simple - a pasta with spinach and ricotta and oven-roasted chicken.  For dessert I wanted to continue the simplicity of the meal but also wanted something really tasty to brighten up the cold winter afternoon. I think berry desserts are perfect in any season and so that is what I made.

No fancy ingredients needed for this dessert, just berries, cream, mascarpone, powered sugar. and a balsamic glaze.

My first task was shopping for the ingredients - zucchero al velo (powdered sugar), panna fresca (not quite whipping cream, but a close substitute) and crema all’aceto balsamico (a thick glaze made of balsamic vinegar). I had to search for the powdered sugar as not every store carries it (and some comes flavored with added vanilla, which wasn’t what I needed). Grocery shopping here is still an adventure for me and part of the joy of learning to live in Italy. I didn’t even mind going to three grocery stores to gather the ingredients.

To prepare this dessert, start by making the topping. Once prepared it will hold in the fridge for about 12 hours (after that it begins to separate). It works best when made with a metal bowl and whisk (or beaters from an electric mixer) that are really cold - a couple of hours in the fridge is perfect. There are just three ingredients:

250 gms mascarpone (about 4.5 oz)

125 ml (1/2 cup) of panna fresca (whipping cream)

2 Tablespoons of zucchero al velo (powered sugar)

Let the mascarpone sit out for about 15 minutes and then soften with a spoon.

Place mascarpone in the chilled bowl along with the panna fresca and the powdered sugar.

Whip until thickened (thick, creamy, and very soft peaks).  I used a whisk, but an electric mixer works well too. Don’t over beat it though.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until just before serving.  This mixture would be plenty for six servings.

Next, prepare the berries, which are the base of this dessert.  You will need:

A mixture of berries ( any combination will work or use a single type of berry); adjust quantities as needed for the amount of servings you’d like to make, one half to three quarters of a cup per serving.

Crema all’aceto Balsamico (Balsamic Glaze)

Slice strawberries and combine with whole blackberries and raspberries (I used about 10 large strawberries, a large handful of blackberries, and a large handful of raspberries to make 3 servings).

Since off-season berries are not the most flavorful, about an hour before serving, put the berries in small serving bowls and drizzle them with the balsamic glaze. A little drizzle is all that is needed. Were I more ambitious, I would have made the glaze by reducing balsamic vinegar and adding a bit of sugar and lemon juice, but in the name of keeping things simple, I just picked up a store-bought ready-made glaze. Shh. Don’t tell Martha Stewart. The balsamic glaze really adds a flavor punch to less than perfect berries.

Berries drizzled with the balsamic glaze

Let the berries sit for an hour (either at room temperature or in the fridge) before topping them with a generous spoonful of the whipped topping. Serve right away after adding the topping.

This dessert is easy to make, looks pretty in clear glass bowls or wine glasses, and tastes delicious. My guests gave it a big thumbs up! - post by JMB

A Farewell Luncheon (and a Recipe for Farro Salad)

Moving to Italy is something that I daydream about all the time. I haven’t yet managed it, but that is not the case for my friends Jim and Rod. After many trips to Italy, and two recent trips to Lucca, they have decided to make the big move. On their latest trip, they rented an apartment just steps outside of Lucca’s walls in a quiet neighborhood (giving me a bad case of apartment envy, not to mention envy of their two gorgeous balconies). Then they came home to New Mexico, sold their house, gave up years of collected belongings, and packed their essentials. How exciting is that?

Recently, I had Rod and Jim over for a going-away lunch. It is quite hot in New Mexico at this time of year, so I fixed an Italian-inspired lunch that involved little actual cooking. On the menu was a cold farro salad with shrimp (more about farro in a minute), sliced tomatoes with burrata (topped with basil, salt, and olive oil), and a simple bruschetta of bread topped with olive oil and salt. The wine was a Gavi, my favorite light Italian white, perfect for a hot summer day. Dessert came from Whole Foods and wasn’t the least bit Italian – Key lime tartlets.

Whole grain farro

Are you familiar with farro? It’s an ancient form of wheat; some say it is the grain from which all modern wheats are descended.  Farro is an important part of the Lucchese culinary tradition, found mostly in soups that also feature beans or vegetables. 

Farro is high in fiber, has good protein and vitamin content, and is lower in gluten than modern wheat. Farro can be found in three forms: whole grain, semi-pearled (polished to remove some of the tougher outer husk) and pearled (all the husk polished away). The form influences both nutritional value (highest in the whole grain) and cooking time (quicker with pearled forms). I tend to use the semi-pearled variety when I can find it, but also like the whole grain, which maintains a chewier texture even after the longer cooking time.

The farro salad that I make uses a base of 1 ½ cups uncooked farro, covered in water (about 3 ½ cups but the exact amount isn’t critical – just cover the farro at least 1 inch deep and drain off any extra water at the end of cooking), and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to simmer, and cook until tender.  Cooking time varies depending on type of farro used and altitude. I live at about 5,000 feet; my whole grain farro took about an hour. Pearled farro can cook in as little as 20 to 30 minutes. If using whole grain, the cooking time is shorter if it is soaked overnight before cooking. When done, drain off any extra water and cool the farro before preparing the salad.

To make the salad, add the following to the cooked and cooled farro and toss:

½ of an English cucumber, seeded and cut into small cubes

1/3 c. finely diced red onion

4-5 oz. of crumbled feta cheese

¾ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

½ - 1 tsp sea salt (I use Penzey’s French Gray Sea Salt)

5 tbl. fresh lemon juice

5 tbl. good olive oil

Mix together and chill for an hour or two before serving.

The farro salad goes well with steamed shrimp, 1 to 1.5 pounds marinated several hours in 4 tbl olive oil, 4 tbl fresh lemon juice, 1 tbl chopped fresh mint leaves, and ½ tsp coarsely ground pepper. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

After a wonderful lunch, I'm sending Jim and Rod off on their Italian adventure with big hugs and a “Ci vediamo a Lucca in Settembre” (see you in Lucca in September).  

They've even promised to cook for me in their new kitchen.

-post by JMB