Il Campo Cucino, Part 3-Secondo

Posted by Sue on Apr 24, 2013 in Cooking Class, Food, Il Campo Cucina, Travel | 0 comments

Secondo

A secondo is traditionally the heartiest course, sometimes called the piatto principale or the main meal. Foods consumed in this course include different meats and types of fish, including turkey, sausage, pork, steak, stew, beef, cod (baccala, salmon, lobster, lamb, chicken, or a roast).

At Il Campo Cucina, our immersion into cooking and eating with lessons on several main course dishes continued.

Emannuela Giua and Marco Garossi, Podere la Fonte

At Podere la Fonte, we did not cook a meat course, but instead, participated in the making of two very hearty dishes; eggplant parmagiana (Melanzana Parmigiana), and Torta Pasqualina, a traditional Tuscan Quiche, typically served in the spring. Emmanuela’s hands once again rolled out a gorgeous sheet of pasta for enclosing a lovely mixture of sheep milk ricotta and fresh chopped, cooked Swiss chard and parmesan cheese, making indents for 9 eggs that would cook when baked in the pastry.

Marco in turn layered slices of lovely violet eggplant that had been browned in sunflower oil between his sauce and parmesan cheese.

Francesco Castiglia

Francesco Castiglia taught us the art of deboning a chicken to make Pollo Arrosto con Zafferano. The chicken was laid open, sprinkled with chopped fresh rosemary, salt and pepper, and was rolled and tied, ready to roast. Saffron from San Gimignano and stock from the chicken bones, sautéed in olive, was used to make a delicious sauce. Each serving of chicken was topped with a presentation of the sauce and sliced leeks. The chicken was fragrant and lovely.

Luana Vaghegini

Luana’s deboning of a guinea fowl was different than Francesco’s in that the fowl was kept whole for stuffing, which is a feat that does not look simple. The dark-meat poultry was stuffed with chopped, cooked Swiss chard layered over slices of Pecorino Fresco. This cheese is aged only 3 months, and melts beautifully into the Swiss chard.

Fifteen minutes before the guinea fowl was finished roasting, Luana poured a good amount of Vin Santo over the fowl and put it back in the oven. The dish was further sweetened by an accompaniment of caramelized onions—nothing more than onions, sugar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt. Delizioso!

Sue with our “chef” friends sporting their new Il Campo Cucina aprons! (From left to right, Sue, Debbie and Mary Anne; below, Anlsey)

Coeur à la Crème

Posted by Sue on Feb 12, 2013 in Desserts, Recipes | 0 comments

If food is about life, then there is probably a story for every food creation known.  Somewhere in the vicinity of 32 years ago, I wrote down 5 recipes I’d located for the ethereal dessert known as Coeur à la Crème in my now worn homemade recipe book. This must have been a chic and seemingly new dessert in the early 1980s. I must have bought the unique heart-shaped ceramic dish necessary to make this dessert, but I don’t recall when or where. The dish has holes in the bottom to let the whey of the dairy ingredients drain. Linda remembers the unveiling of this creamy white dessert at a family gathering, complete, I am sure, with strawberries and raspberries and a sauce flavored with a little bit of kirsch. I don’t. So when I moved 6 months ago, and packed up more than 20 years of kitchen paraphernalia, I almost didn’t bring the dish. But something made me wrap it up and pack it along; that, I remember, was a conscious decision amidst the chaos of boxes and bubble wrap.

When we considered what lovely offering we would showcase from our collection of world famous food for Valentine’s Day, I remembered the Coeur à la Crème dish, and I knew where it was! How wonderful to resurrect this memorable creamy dessert and for it to be chic once again. I searched online and found a number of differing recipes, some with sour cream, some with cottage cheese, or heavy cream, as well as cream cheese. I forgot about those 5 recipes I had written down, so long ago. So we went with the recipe that I am sure I made many years ago.

I’d forgotten the texture and the taste. It is a light and airy mixture, a sublime taste of non-too-sweet cheesecake without the density of a cream cheese mass or taste of a competing crust. The berry sauce is a burst of refreshment melting against that divine creaminess. It was better than I remembered.

The rest of the life story goes like this. I did some more internet research on the origin of this lovely Coeur à la Crème, translated literally as “heart of cream.” It appears that the Marie-Antoine Carême, “the king of cooks and the cook of Kings,” and father of haute French cuisine in the early 1800s for European royalty, introduced and adapted the recipe from his travels to Russia. The local significance of this, more than 200 years later, is that the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC), just a few miles from our home, has named their teaching restaurant Carême’s, in honor of this grandiose master chef, of which I am a student! The Academy may seem humble in its locale and surroundings, but it is worldly in every other way.

To possibly the very first celebrity chef, Marie-Antoine Carême –opulent, elegant, lavish and prolific, and to all the chefs at the Academy of Culinary Arts who, by their work, honor the restaurant’s namesake, and to everyone celebrating Valentine’s Day, enjoy this heavenly, creamy, cloud-like dessert, from our heart! And if a heart, like a circle, is an unbroken line, then I have come full circle in my life’s story.

Coeur à la Crème

Cheesecloth
Acidulated water (water and lemon juice)
3/4 pound large curd cottage cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 pound cream cheese, room temperature
2-4 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups berries (raspberies, strawberries, and blueberries. Can use a mix of all and save some berries for garnish)
3 tablespoons Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
1 tablespoon water

Dip piece of cheesecloth into acidulated water. Wring dry and use to line 1 quart coeur à la crème mold, allowing 2 inch overhang on all sides.

Rub cottage cheese through fine strainer or food mill.

In a medium mixing bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add cottage cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until light and creamy. Gently fold in whipped cream.

Turn in to prepared mold, smoothing over top. Cover with hanging cheesecloth. Place mold on wire rack set over a pie plate. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (whey will drain, leaving the ‘heart’ off the cheeses).

For the berry sauce, add berries, sugar and water into medium saucepan. Over medium heat, stir berries until berries release their juices and liquid resembles a light syrup. Cool.

To serve, unwrap top of mold and invert onto flat serving platter; remove cheesecloth. Top with berries sauce and fresh berries.

Photos by Linda Taylor

Il Campo Cucina, Part 2: Primo

Posted by Sue on Jan 2, 2013 in Cooking Class, Food, Il Campo Cucina, Travel | 4 comments

Primo

A primo is the first course. It consists of hot food and is usually heavier than the antipasto, but lighter than the second course. Non-meat dishes are the staple of any primo: examples include  risotto, pasta, soup and broth, gnocchi, polenta, crepes, casseroles, or lasagnas.

At Il Campo Cucina, our hands-on cooking experiences were each wonderfully instructional and varied, and we generally made (and ate) at least 4 courses, as Italian tradition dictates. This is where we got down to business.

Podere La Fonte – Pici

Our first day of cooking found us immersed in the agriturismo world of Podere La Fonte, hosted by organic farmers Emannuela Giua and Marco Garossi. This beautiful and self-sustaining farm outside of Radicondoli is home to vineyards, olive groves, orchards, and an abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

We were treated to learning to make a traditional Tuscan pasta dish—pici, or fat spaghetti. Pici are made with just three ingredients—semola flour, water and a little olive oil. After making the dough and letting it rest, we experimented with the pici roller, to make the long, thick strands of pasta. Emannuela’s expert hands worked the dough so adeptly; it took us just a little bit of practice to cut the dough into strands and then keep them from sticking together. The strands were placed with care on an antique embroidered linen and sprinkled with more semola until ready for the pot of boiling water.

Marco, meanwhile, tended to the sautéing of whole cloves of garlic in olive oil from Podere LaFonte’s trees until blond in color and very fragrant, over the open-hearth fire, for the Sugo Aglione (garlic tomato sauce) that would soon marry with the pici to create an amazingly simple but flavorful pasta dish.

Our fellow class members (and new friends!) taking notes.

Gratuitous cat photo

Francesco Costagli – Lasagnette and Focaccia

At Villa Anqua on our second day of cooking, we were introduced to Chef Francesco Costagli, chef for Albergaccio Ristorante in Castellina in Chianti, which has one Michelin star.

With the 16^th century grainary at Anqua as Il Campo’s kitchen for our lesson, Chef Francesco took us through several wonderful dishes as we watched intently, took notes, rolled pasta, and drank wine. Especially beautiful were the Lasagnette (Ricotta e Bietole con salsa di Pomodoro). After rolling a gorgeous sheet of pasta thinner than a pie crust, Chef Francesco cut the pasta into 3” squares with a fluted pastry wheel. A mixture of fresh sheep milk ricotta, cooked and chopped swiss chard, eggs, and nutmeg was layered in dollops between the squares of fresh pasta, then sprinkled with shredded Parmesan for baking.

Francesco checking Linda’s work.

Sue finishing up assembling the lasagnettes.

Of particular note are the presentation skills possessed by Chef Francesco. Finished with a splash of olive oil and pomodo sauce, the lasagnettes were as delicious as they were beautiful!

We also enjoyed the Focaccia with tomato, and most of us have attempted this at home with almost equally good results!

Luana Vaghegini – Parmesan Flan and Risotto

Chef Luana Vaghegini is a native Radicondolian, having grown up on a local self-sustaining farm. She is now a personal chef and caterer.

We marveled at the efforts Luana put into making her silky Parmesan flan and flawless risotto. These two dishes were perfetto! Luana owned the most heavy duty whisk that we’ve seen! She used it to make an ethereal Parmesan flan that was divine, yet it required strength and stamina to make it that way. Same with the risotto… so much stirring, accomplished with a knowing technique and love. In same the way that the flan was so perfectly smooth, the risotto had the perfect bite, and was dressed with a gorgeous red wine reduction.

Plating the flan with thinly sliced pears, freshly ground pepper, and of course, EVOO.

Preparing the risotto.

Time to eat and celebrate with new friends.

After a long day of cooking (and drinking wine), we pack up to cook another day!

Ready for the next lesson…

Chef Fulvio Tomasetta – Tortellini

Our last night with Il Campo Cucina was spent cooking at Il Bel Canto with Chef Fulvio and his lovely wife, Claudia, from Bologna.

Chef Fulvio shared with us three critical lessons, probably the most important of our cooking time in Tuscany:

• “Cooking must be from the heart”
• “Armonia perfetta” (perfect harmony)
• “Mangiare e numero uno”

This fun and engaging evening was spent learning the art of preparing tortellini. In a friendly competitive atmosphere filled with laughter (and a good deal of wine), we made and rolled the pasta, cut it into squares using a Tagliasfoglia cutter, made the meat filling and rolled it into pea-sized balls, and patiently learned to shape the tortellini by wrapping it around your finger and pressing the edges together.

Chef Fulvio slaps down some store bought tortellini and ask us, “What is this?” We all respond, “tortellini!”. He says, “No, cat food!” Then he proceeds to show us what real tortellini is!

The tortellini were served in brodo and were just delicious.

We had an incredible amount of fun that evening, learning, laughing, talking, eating. There was even a mayonnaise-making competition! And another beautiful sunset to cook by.

At the end of each day’s cooking lesson, we enjoyed sitting down with the chefs and eating our meal together…and usually, it was at a pretty big table! Salute!

Il Campo Cucina

Posted by Sue on Nov 25, 2012 in Cooking Class, Food, Il Campo Cucina, Travel | 0 comments

The Courses of Il Campo Cucina – October 2012, Part I

Italians traditionally divide a main celebration meal into several different courses. As we reflect on our week at Il Campo Cucina, our experiences were as sumptuous as any fully-coursed Italian celebratory meal. It seems only fitting, then, to follow this menu by sharing the food, wine, people, and beauty of Tuscany, Radicondoli, and Il Campo Cucina, course by course!

 Aperitivo

The aperitivo opens a meal, and it is similar to an appetizer. Most people gather around standing up and have drinks such as wine, prosecco, champagne, or spumante. Occasionally small amounts of food are consumed, such as olives, crisps, nuts, cheese, sauce dips, little quiches or similar snacks.

There are times when the forces of God, nature, and the world align so completely and seamlessly so as to bring people together to create a perfect set of circumstances. That was our week with Il Campo Cucina. The Italians call it “destino.” It was meant to be. From the moment that Marlane Agriesti Miriello pulled an impromptu visit to a thousand-year old grain mill out of thin air, completely off the program, to fill an hour’s time on our way to La Speranza for lunch, we knew we were in for something special. She charmed Giuliano, a man clearly not used to visitors (and especially 9 non-native Italian women) and brought him from a place of skepticism to that of a kindly tour guide, even grinding wheat into flour in his mill for us to see. We had been transported back to an ancient time and were spellbound from that moment, Throughout the week, we got used to Marlane making magic for us at every turn.

Ancient decree of the grain mill

Guiliano

No sooner did we arrive at Il Bel Canto, our home for a week in Radicondoli, that we realized this was no ordinary magic. We were surrounded by the palette of beauty and serenity that is the quintessential Tuscan countryside. We had everything we could ask for in our accommodations. Every morning, I jumped out of bed to open the shutter to take in scenery that looked like a live painting, looking out the window often to make sure I didn’t miss a hue or perspective that wasn’t there an hour ago. One morning, there was a vibrant rainbow—how was it that what was already beautiful could be made more so by such a magnificent streak of colors across the sky? We surely had to be in heaven.

Il Bel Canto was so aptly named, because all of the elements in its surroundings created a good song. The trees, grass, sky, the clouds, hills, the village lights in the distance, the olive trees, the lone pomegranate tree, the 16th century stone structures, the vegetable garden, the rooster crowing up the hill–were among the instruments that created this beautiful symphony! Nothing, however, could compare to the magnificent sunsets, that changed as if with a brush stroke, in every next moment. There were chairs set along the ridge just to honor this daily feat of ever-changing beauty with thousands of years of iterations, and the realization was then, that Tuscan’s do not tire of their beautiful surroundings, nor do they take it for granted. Un salute alla vita!

Il Bel Canto

Watching the Tuscan sun

Marlane Agriesti Miriello, bidding us salute!

Antipasto

The antipasto is a slightly heavier starter. It is usually cold (not in all cases) and lighter than the first course. Affettati (sliced meats),  charcuterie, salami, hams, (mortadella, Parma ham), cheeses, (mozarella, scarmorza), sandwich-like foods (panini, bruschette), vegetables, cold salmon, are examples of foods eaten. 

Anqua. Just saying the word emotes the remembrance of another heavy-duty dose of magic. Anqua is a 16th century castle, built on the ruins of a 12th Century castle in Radicondoli. It still belongs to the same family who originally built it, one of the oldest of Siena. On our first visit, we were entranced by our first glimpse of the enormous grounds and expansive vista, but that almost didn’t compare to entering the magnificent rustic dining room, simply and anciently elegant, complete with roaring hearth fire, where once, all the cooking was done.

Inside Anqua

Anqua, outside

We were graciously welcomed by Count Andrea Pannocchieschi d’Elci and friends. Could that beautiful table be set for us? Were we the guests waiting to experience a fabulous wine tasting by Level I Sommelier, Luigi Pizzolato. Could this night be any more special? How had we been able to be immersed so quickly into an Italy that most travelers never get to experience? If we pinched ourselves too hard, would we wake up?

The wine tasting was informative and warmly engaging. Italians are very proud of their wine (and that is an understatement). We tasted San Gimignano Vernaccia and paid much homage to the Sangiovese grape, Luigi’s favorite (and mine). “Know the grape, the farm, and the age” and you know a lot. It was sad to learn that due to the summer’s drought conditions in Italy this year, it would not be a good year for Italian wines.

Sommelier, Luigi

Taking notes

Andrea and friends

The jewel of the evening was the magnifico dinner. The jewel of the dinner was the ovuli mushroom. It is more precious than the porcini, and both were at the height of their season. (We often saw cars pulled over at the side of the road, with their occupants in the fields and forests searching for the revered porcini). The ovuli were picked the day before on Anqua’s property. The antipasti of the evening was simply chopped ovuli mushrooms, onion, olive oil and nipotella served on crostini.  It was divine.

The precious, celebrated ovuli

We were treated to Andrea’s fresh tagliatelle with porcini as the primo. Absolutely heavenly. Il Secondo was thinly sliced pork.

We finished the meal with a dolce: Vin Santo cake. This simple and not too sweet cake is made with Santo Spirito and ground walnuts. These beautiful and tasty courses and more of Andrea’s wine from Anqua’s grapes, and the warm and spirited company and friends of Marlane that we shared this amazing dinner that evening will stand out as one of our most memorable meals–ever. We were special that night, and we knew it

Change…and a Leap of Faith

Posted by Sue on Sep 3, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

I don’t like change. It is not unusual that most people don’t. But it seems that when I make a change, I do it in a big way.

I have moved, not something I recommend for the faint of heart. Especially not after 20 years. And, 75 miles from my old home. I pushed myself daily to keep moving forward, to do this. Three weeks into the new home, I can say I have have no regrets. It feels like home. It is a new beginning.

There were obstacles, of course. But they are in the past. I have a big one yet facing me. But, when I left work before taking 2 weeks vacation to move, I envisioned a parachute as I thought I might be free falling from a cliff without a net. I know the parachute is out there. Every day, I thought of three things some wise people (yet unknown to themselves) said to me:

• “You can direct your own life, or someone will do it for you.”
• “Sometimes the hardest decisions are the best ones.”
• “Change can be a good thing.”

I took these pearls out often, marveled at their poignancy and timeliness in my life at the moments they arrived (this all must be happening for a reason for people, some I hardly know, to shine such wisdom at me at the most appropriate moments, causing me to pause in my tracks as I read the words) and I have held them dear while I moved through the struggle to move.

For the first time in a while, I feel happy and at peace. I have some struggles to go. But when you lose the fear, it’s easier to move ahead.

There are two more recent life thoughts shared with me that will continue to drive me forward:

• “I am going to win.” And…
• “Write the last chapter.”

These two are entwined as I can’t do the first without doing the latter. Thanks, SD.

I envision baking in my new kitchen. It will be great fun. It will be a comfort. It will be…everything and anything I want it to be. Biscotti rules. I envision family, brought closer together. Thanks to all for supporting me and believing in me. I envision a glass of wine on the patio. Holidays that are happy. Sharing life. A life to be lived.

And then there is the trip to Il Campo Cucina in Radicondoli…leaving 5 weeks from today. The trip of dreams…cooking in the Tuscan countryside with my sister, my inspiration. Where we go from here is the next dream in the queue.

In the face of what seems like a miserable time for me, there is an awful lot of good going on. I will look back and remember it as a very good year. Sounds like a win to me.

I have leapt with faith that everything will be okay. And life will be good.

Recipe Review :: Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Posted by Linda Taylor on Mar 18, 2012 in Desserts, Food, Recipe Review | 0 comments

Well, it’s Sunday morning, the day after St. Patrick’s Day, and yes, I have a bit of a hangover. My husband and I enjoyed a nice corned beef and cabbage dinner with our Irish neighbors, who take this holiday quite seriously. I offered to bring dessert, so I chose to make Irish Coffee cupcakes.

I have a rule that I won’t serve anything to guests that I haven’t made before. I learned that lesson the hard way. However, I have had many good results with Martha Stewart recipes and felt pretty confident that they would turn out well.

These cupcakes were easy to make, and I was very happy with the texture of the cake. Also, the flavors were well balanced and the cupcakes truly tasted like an Irish Coffee drink. You can find the recipe here on Martha Stewart’s website.

Biscotti, A Thread of Life

Posted by Sue on Mar 9, 2012 in Food | 0 comments

World Famous Biscotti, and a Thread of Life

It’s funny to think that a cookie can tell a story. I like to think of my love for baking biscotti as a bit of life’s tapestry. As a baker for many years, I’ve always been experimental, and yet traditional. I always loved baking Christmas cookies. When my daughter was in elementary school, I thought it would be nice to bake something different for teachers—something they would want to eat, something flavorful and not icky or gooey looking (or worse than that—store bought). I’d never baked biscotti before, so I tried them. For those years, teachers at Constable School received a platter of 10 or so assorted biscotti. I learned that they later looked forward to receiving the coveted platter, so much so, that several teachers received them a couple of years after Rachel had moved to middle school. After that, I didn’t stop making them, and the patrons at Elijah’s Promise in New Brunswick enjoyed them, as we created a tradition here to bring beautiful platters of biscotti, cookies, and other baked goods to the shelter on Christmas Eve Day. I have always kept biscotti in my repertoire, and when my daughter, a graduating senior, returned to her elementary school several weeks before high school graduation as part of the school’s Senior Society program, she walked into the school, and, those teachers fondly asked after her Mom’s biscotti! I knew I was on to something, if that is what they remembered after 7 years!

So, I decided to focus on baking biscotti, and selling them locally. My first gig was an amazing feat: I baked 900 biscotti for a charity event in Princeton with 3 days notice! I couldn’t have done it without my Mom’s help in bagging and tying ribbons and tags. I began to then sell baskets of homemade biscotti in Tuscan Hills, a lovely Italian home goods store in Kingston, NJ. One thread led to another. At Tuscan Hills, I attended an event of food blogger Ciao Chow Linda, and I met a lovely woman there who told me she wanted to learn to make biscotti. So, I invited her over, we made Almond Biscotti and Chocolate Almond Biscotti. She told me that she didn’t have a “bucket list” but if she did, learning to make biscotti was on the list. I paused when she told me this, because I felt that my teaching her to baking biscotti had to be part of a larger mission. She returned the favor to me by telling me where I could take Italian lessons locally. I am now in my second month of learning this beautiful language that is tied so closely to Italian culture, at Dorothea’s House in Princeton—something I had never given real thought to actually doing. Thanks, Judy, for this wonderful thread. You see, now when I go to Il Campo Cucina in Tuscany in October, I will be able to speak and understand a little Italian!

Another thread came in January from reading an article in The Atlantic City Press, about a woman who bakes and sells biscotti at the Margate Farmers Market and also via mail order. I reached out to this kindred biscotti maker, and I look forward to meeting Julia someday, or, as she said, if I just want to “chat biscotti.” I thoroughly enjoyed making her Aunt Grace’s Biscotti, filled with roasted walnuts and anise seed. The flavor was warm and the texture divinely crunchy.

Which brings me to ingredients. Biscotti are really rather simple to make. Time can be the biggest ingredient, as the meaning of the word biscotti is “twice baked.” The biggest difference between biscottis fundamentally is whether they have butter (or oil) as an ingredient, or not. Otherwise, there are varying quantities of eggs, flour, and other staple baking ingredients. The commonality stops when you consider the dozens of nuts, fruits, flavorings and spices, and combinations thereof, that you can to add create a unique or traditional biscotti.

For the nuts, consider almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios.

For fruits: dried apricots, dried cherries, candied orange peel, lemon zest, dried cranberries, wild blueberries—use your imagination!

Some spices and flavorings are anise seed, almond, cinnamon, cocoa powder, chocolate, allspice, vanilla, orange and lemon extracts or oil—even rosemary.

The combinations are endless, and whether you like classic crisp almond biscotti to savor with a glass of vin santo, or something more unique like wild blueberry, white chocolate, and almond, there is a variety for every taste or occasion!

I am considering a venture, which is to make every biscotti recipe that I ever come across, and blog about them. (A little a la the movie “Julie & Julia”). I know I cannot make every recipe in a year, but I am sure I could come up with 365 variations to do so!

My latest favorite is photographed here—Candied Orange Peel and Pecan Biscotti. I have just taken a batch of Nutella biscotti (with pistachios and dried cherries) out of the oven, and as I contemplate whatever the next thread for me might be, and how it might relate to a passion for baking biscotti, I know that the road is never straight, but it always leads to somewhere.

Cottura biscotti è il mio piacere. Ciao!

Photos by Linda Taylor