Befanini

Among the traditional Tuscan dishes that we prepare, Befanini is one that stands out from the rest due to the story it represents. In Italy, the Epiphany, also known as the Feast of the Three Kings, is celebrated on January 6th. Italian legend says that during the journey of the Three Kings to find Baby Jesus, they encountered an old woman named Befana. Although Befana did not join the Three Kings, she departed later with baked goods and her broom in search of the Baby Jesus. In her quest to find the Baby Jesus, Befana visits the homes of all children on the eve of January 6th to leave treats and gifts. Many families here still prepares Befanini to celebrate the Epiphany.

Merry Christmas....and a gift of Persimmon Panforte !

Hello everyone,
Sorry for the long absence,i have a newborn baby to take care of now :) he's just 2 months old now and he's so cute ! I'll be keep posting from the new year....!

I wish all of you a Merry Merry Christmas and a Beatiful 2012 !

Aurelio

Persimmon Panforte


Ingredients :

1 Cup of mashed persimmon
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Flour
2 Cups full of these mixed : walnuts,candied fruits,raisins,pinenuts,almonds,dried figs,orange skin.
2 Eggs
a pinch of salt,pepper,parmesan and nutmeg.


Mix all the ingredients together,then put the mixture in a round cake pan and cook for about 40 minutes at about 180°.


Once it's ready take it out the oven and sprinkle with icing sugar once it's chilled.

Stewed Chicken with "Barbe di Prete"

For the Chicken :

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• A whole chicken, cut up into pieces
• 2 cloves of garlic
• An 8-inch (20 cm) sprig of rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• A cup of dry red wine
• 2/4 pound (300 g) tomatoes
• Black olives or in alternative you can add the sage with the rosemary.
  

Preparation:

To serve 4 you'll want an entire chicken, cut up into pieces. Wash well and pat it dry. Split two cloves of garlic and sauté them in 1/4 cup of olive oil with a spring of fresh rosemary; once the garlic has begun to brown add the meat; season to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and brown the meat over a medium flame, turning the pieces several times. Sprinkle a cup of dry red wine into the pot, and when it has evaporated somewhat, add about 3/4 pound of blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (you can use canned if you prefer, or tomato sauce) and 1/2 pound (200 g) canned black olives. Simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes. Before serving the chicken,don't forget to discard the garlic

For "Barbe di Prete" :

In a pan with some olive oil and a mirepoix of carrot,celery and onion,add the cleaned barbe cutted in pieces and let them brown at medium flame for about 10 minutes,then add a couple spoons of tomato sauce,stir for a while then add enough water to fill the pan and cover,leaving it at low flame until all the broth has evaporated and the vegetables are tender.

Add them to the chicken and serve.

Nonna Ida's Style Rovelline Lucchesi

Rovelline is a traditional dish of the old farmers food.

This version is a little different from the original version as this one has Mirepoix (celery,carrot and onions) and it's missing garlic instead.

Ingredients for 4 people :

4 not too thick slices of Veal

150g  Carrot

200g Onion

150g Celery

3 Tablespoon of Chopped Tomato
A handfull of Capers
1 Egg

00 Flour
Breadcrumbs
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preparation :

First of all take the slices of veal and add some salt  then cover them with flour and deep them into the egg and finally coat in the breadcrums.

Fry them into the olive oil (or if you preferer in the Clarified Butter - but in tuscany we use olive oil !)

Once they are ready put them aside for now and in a frying pan put the mirepoix with some olive oil,when it's golden add the chopped tomato and capers.

Now put the veal in the sauce you prepared adding a glass of water and let it steam.

Serve with the sauce on top and...Buon Appetito !

Filetto di Manzo all'Alpina "Beef fillet with porcini mushroom cap"

Ingredients for 4

4 beef fillets
4 porcini mushrooms caps
extra virgin olive oil
garlic
calamint
chilli
salt


Preparation 


Clean the porcini mushrooms caps. Put them in a baking pan and season with olive oil, salt, red pepper, sliced garlic, calamint and a splash of wine. Cook in oven for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees. Cook the tenderloin on the grill. Then place the fillet on a plate and above the cap of porcini mushrooms. Dress with extra virgin olive oilAccompany with a red Sangiovese wine

*Look my post about Garfagnana Porcini Mushrooms

Sugo di Carne "Meat Sauce"

Ingredients

1 heavy lb beef stew meat, 1 heavy lb pork stew meat, 1
red onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, 2 cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg,
1 tube  tomato paste (Mutti), 1 ½ glasses red wine, extra
virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

Trippa alla Fiorentina

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds tripe, blanched and boiled (add 5 clove in a water)
• Half a pound of minced beef meat
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• Salt, for seasoning
• Parmesan, for sprinkling

Bomboloni (Italian doughnuts)

Bomboloni are Italian doughnuts, popular in Florence. These are more doughnut holes than doughnuts, filled with vanilla pastry cream, raspberry jam, or other fillings. The Italian “bomboloni” has been compared to the French “beignet” and the German “bismark” or “bismarck.”

Roasted little "Cinta Senese" pork

Average preparation time : 20mins

Cooking time : about 4 hours

Ingredients:

Quarter of a little Cinta Senese Pork (should be about 3kg)

80gr. of salt

30gr. of pepper powder 

5 cloves of garlic

20gr. of fennel seeds

4 branches of rosemary

half a litre of extravirgin olive oil

Baked Cannellini "Fagioli Cannellini al Forno"

Ingredients for 4
 3 cups dried beans, garlic, sage, rosemary, extra virgin
olive oil, salt and pepper, 6 slices of sweet bacon
“pancetta”

Stewed Rabbit "Coniglio in Umido"

If you go out into the country in the evening, you'll see people picking grasses and such in the fields -- they're gathering food for the rabbits in their rabbit hutch. The meat is tasty, lean, and healthful.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Original Fiorentina Steak and Tagliata

Ingredients:
- One beef steak  (1 kilo or more)
- Salt

The true steak (with bone which is like a T with sirloin and fillet I a side) comes from tender beef preferably chianina breed.
Prepare in time the barbecue so that you can have a good ember with no fire, Place the grill over the ember (about 10 cm.)

When the grill is red-hot place the steak ( at room temperature, not washed and take it with your hands- no fork!)Grill the steak 10 minutes o’ clock without touching it.
Turn it with a spatula (not with a fork)
Grill fore 5 more minutes, salt the grilled part.
Eat in the next minute, a cold Bistecca is damaged!
You can add some pepper, but NOT NOT NOT NOT  lemon.

Tagliata = Big steak cut in slices
This is like a grilled steak, it is bigger and, when ready it is cut in vertical slices, without separating

them, on these slices you can put:

-rucola salad dressed with salt and olive oil and parmesan cheese

-olive oil with aromatic herbs

-fresh artichokes cut slices dressed with olive oil, salt and 1 spoon of juice of lemon