MORE FOOD

It's been too long since I've posted food pictures/recipes. Time to remedy that.

CANTUCCINI (Biscotti)

330 g flour

150 g sugar

100 g almonds

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

4 Tsp baking powder

50 g butter

1 lemon

(This recipe makes A LOT of biscotti, so we cut the recipe in half. I would advise you to do the same, unless you really want to eat biscotti for the next few days)

Mix the flour with butter to make crumbles, then add sugar, eggs, grated lemon zest and baking powder.

Incorporate the almonds and make 4 long rolls of dough. Place them in a buttered and floured baking pan and bake for 15 minutes at 180 C (350 F).

Let them cool completely and cut into pieces. Put back in the over for two minutes or until crisp and dry. Do not burn.

PAPPA AL POMODORO (Bread and Tomato Soup)

250 g (8 oz) stale country bread, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

4-5 Tsp olive oil

1 leek, finely chopped (only the white part)

Fresh sage, chopped

1 cup water

700 g (1 1/2 lbs) ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces (OR you can use a jar of tomato sauce)

1 L (1 1/4 pints) chicken stock (OR 1 stock cube)

Salt and Pepper

3 Tsp shredded basil leaves

Toast bread lightly in the oven so that it dries out but does not color, then break into pieces. Fry the garlic in 1 Tsp of oil until it just begins to color, then add the leek and sage and 2 Tsp of basil. Cook until the leek is transparent and the water is evaporated. Then add tomatoes or sauce and bread until the bread falls apart and blends with the sauce. Stir in enough hot stock, a little at a time, until you have a thick, mushy consistency. Season with salt and plenty of pepper, add the remaining basil, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occassionally. Serve hot with a little olive oil dribbled over each serving.

AGNELLO IN CROSTA (Leg of lamb stuffed with artichokes)

Not for those who don't absolutely love artichokes. You can ask for the recipe if you want it.

PANNA COTTA

300 ml (1/2 pint) cream

2 Tsp sugar, or more to taste

About 8 drops of vanilla essence, or one vanilla bean, split

1 tsp powdered gelatine

Simmer the cream with the sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes. Do not let the cream boil. Dissolve the gelatine (do not use more or the gream will be rubbery) in 2 Tsp cold water and beat well into the cream. Pour into a little serving bowl or small ramekins. As the cream is very rich, small portions are best. Chill for a few hours until set.

STRAWBERRY/BLACKBERRY SAUCE

1 box of strawberries

1 box of blackberries

1 lemon, juiced

Blend strawberries and most of the lemon juice until smooth. Remove and then blend blackberries and remaining juice (blackberries are naturally more sour, so do not use too much) until smooth. Serve over panna cotta.

Also, I went to Tijuana (the restaurant in Florence, not the city in Mexico) and ordered chicken fajitas. They were not anything spectacular, and certainly not real Mexican food, but they were delicious enough, resembling food from On the Border or any other typical American-Mexican restaurant. We also got delicious cocktails. I got a virgin strawberry daquiri and the others ordered strawberry pina coladas. Yum.

And yesterday was National Dessert Day in America, and in honor of it, I made a pumpkin cheesecake with a chocolate crust, and sugar cookies. The desserts were consumed before I could photograph them, but oh well. My cheesecake turned out a little more soupy than I expected, but otherwise, dessert day was a success. I had never made sugar cookies, and while they were good, I wouldn't recommend the recipe, and thus will not post it.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

http://brannyboilsover.com/2010/10/13/pumpkin-cheesecake-pie/