Stringhe in Umido (Stewed String Beans)

Stringhe are a Tuscan heirloom string bean; the word Stringhe means strings and the reason for the name is obvious -- when they're harvested fagioli stringhe are 40-50 cm long, or about 18 inches.
Stringhe are also called S.Anna beans, fagioli serpente "snake" beans. Again, references to their length. Production of stringa is limited to the Lucca,Valdarno (between Arezzo), Florence, and Prato, and you'll find them in local vegetable markets (production is limited enough that they're more difficult to find in supermarkets) throughout the summer.

Ingredients:

gr 600 string beans (washed, topped and tailed)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
A slice of tuscan prosciutto
2 large ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
Basil
salt and pepper


Direction:

In a saucepan put some minced onion and garlic,tuscan prosciutto, chopped tomatoes, Stringhe beans (string beans), basil, olive oil, salt and a little water. Cook slowly until everything is well cooked and juicy.

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

Black Figs Tart

Hello everyone !

After my 2 months break (i spent my Honeymoon in French Polinesia and California) i'm back again in the "old world".

Sorry about this long absence,but now i'm all freshened up and ready to bring you new recipes...
This morning  my father came back from his farm (Maolina) with a basket full of figs and so i got the inspiration to make this...

Figs are the only fruit to fully ripen and semi-dry on the tree.
Wrapped in a thin, deep-purple to black skin, the juicy, red-pink pulp of this fig is packed with small, edible seeds. The flavor is sweet and floral, reminiscent of honey. A slight shriveling or cracking near the stem end is caused by the sun and is a common characteristic.
High in fiber, figs are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, thiamine, potassium and protein. Figs are considered to be an antibacterial and anti-ulcer food, as well as a natural laxative.

Ingredients for 8
2 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, 2 ½ sticks softened unsalted
butter, a
heavy 1/2 cup figs preserves, 2 egg yolks, 5 crisp sweet
apples, 1 heavy cup wallnuts.
Preparation
Soften butter and combine with eggs, sugar and flour. Work
the dough until the consistency is soft and delicate. Prepare
a mold on a shallow-edged baking sheet with parchment
paper. Smooth dough onto the full surface of the mold.
Spread with figs preserves. Slice figs and layer on top
of the preserves. Sprinkle the figs lightly with sugar and
scatter the wallnuts.
Bake 30 minutes at 350F. Dust with confectioner's sugar,
cut into squares and serve.

Thank you Kevin

Kevin Lynch is a certified sommelier through the Court of the Master Sommelier. He is also the co-founder of Native Food and Wine. He is a regular contributor to national and international wine, food and lifestyle publications and is writing a book about the wines of Tuscany. Kevin has been traveling the globe for over a year in search of great wine.
Kevin tell my story and recipe in this site http://www.examiner.com
Thank you Kevin for your friendly!!!!!

My wedding day in Rome - July 10, 2010 -

Finally i'm married with Fabiana in the beautiful church of Santa Francesca Romana and the dinner held in magnificent cloister of the monastery of St. Bonifacio e Alessio on 'Aventino in Rome.Fabiana has organized everything to perfection with style and elegance. Looking for a perfect wedding in Rome? Fabiana is the right person. Look the site 

Menu'

Open bar  Pre-dinner Cocktails:

• Prosecco di Valdobbiadene - Bellini
• Non-alcoholic fruit cocktails
• Soda Gin - Martini - Campari - Tonic - Soda
• Assorted juices
• Pyramids of glass compositions raised fruit
• Fruit cocktail drinks at maracuja
• Fresh tropical fruit cocktails and seasonal run on demand
• Crash campari con margot di fragola e pesca Campari mix with pineapple mousse on top - Crash campari with Margot strawberry and peach

Apetizer:

• Finger food served to arm
• Trays of oysters
• Cloves goat cheese salad with peak hip and salad
• Tuna tartare, apple jelly and salmon roe (bowls)
• Kataifi shrimp paste with curry sauce served in martini glassesBrochette of chicken with herbs and lime served in bamboo boats'
• Roulade of grilled eggplant purple flower with cheese and basil
• Salmon and rocket rolls
• Corner of fried vegetable
• Stuffed zucchini flowers
• Sage, basil and mint in batter
• Mozzarella in a carriage, assorted croquettes
• Milanesine eggplant, sundried tomatoes
• Panzerottini with tomato and mozzarella with ricotta and sage

Buffet Cottage:

• Ham cut with Figs and melon pearls
• Wild boar sausages - salami toscano  - cacciatorino
• Spianata romana - Mortadelline di Campotosto - Coppa aromatizzata
• Sirloin of  Chianina
• Turkey-flavored honey

Cheese:

• Burrata d'Andria Braids and ovoli giant buffalo - buffalo Cherry - butter Andria
• Raschera and bra with pear chutney
• Gorgonzola with lavender honey
• Castlemagno with grapes
• Pecorino di Pienza and pit with honey and lime
• Fresh buffalo ricotta cheese - baked ricotta
• Boules with slices of pears and tomatoes

Variety pinzimoni:

Celery, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, fennel, chioggia, avocado,indivia belga turnips, white turnips, radishes, cherry tomatoes, endive
sauces: guacamole, gorgonzola cheese, with mustard vinaigrette
flavored with white truffle oil, mascarpone and balsamic vinegar

Bread basket of special muffins with olives and rosemary
Variety of Bread - Bread with raisins, sesame, walnut
Small buttons croissants and milk.
Pizza Roman and Genoese


Buffet Siciliano Sicilian Buffet

• Cous cous Trapani Style
• Sarde a beccafico
• Swordfish rolls to Messina
• Eggplant ratatouille
• Chicken kebabs with orange and fennel
• Cherry tomatoes with tuna roe and bread crumbs
• Primu salts to fresh chopped chilliPecorino Ragusa

Meals served to table:

• Sea bass ravioli with a sauce of clams and scallop
• Pici with wilted tomatoes, chopped basil, buffalo, pine nuts and fresh oregano
• Sea bass baked with green olives and tarragon
• Pudding Potato and Eggplant
• Bundles of beans

Buffet of sweets:

• Plates of sliced fruit
• Mousse peaches with peach sauce
• Bavarian passion fruit
• Iced coffee with cream
• Pistachio ice cream with blueberry sauceBaba with caramel sabayon
• Val de Loire Raspberry
• Mint parfait with chocolate sauce
• Small skillet with steamed cream and rosewater strawberries
• Lace cups with small truffles and S. Marzano
• Glasses with dark chocolate mousse
• Wedding cake  stuffed with cream and hazelnut cream

Wines:
 

• Bottega Vinai Pinot Nero
• Bottega Vinai Pinot Grigio Rulander
• Bottega Vinai Muller Thurgau
• San Vigilio Dolce
• Tardij di Verduzzo Vendemmia Tardiva

Open bar  after-dinner Cocktails

Caipiriña - Caipiroska - Mojito
Corner Coffee espressso
Friandises  fruit jelly