"TORTA" CON FRUTTA E CREMA

Dessert

Cake with fresh fruit and cream

Ladyfingers
4 eggs
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp flour
1 qt milk
fresh fruit (your favorite)
unflavored jelly powder

First of all, prepare the cream (or custard). Warm the milk without letting it boil.
In a saucepan, with heavy bottom, combine the sugar, the flour and the eggs, whisking to prevent knots. On low-medium heat add the warm milk in a slow stream, always whisking and bring to boil, whisking continuously; it will take about 5-8 minutes (the warmer the milk, the quicker the cooking).
Set aside and let it cool, mixing it occasionally to prevent the film on top.
Line the bottom of a square or rectangular cake pan with ladyfingers dipped in milk or fruit syrup diluited with water or coffee witha few teaspoons of liqueur (depepnding on who will eat this cake).
Cover with cream and decorate with your favorite fresh fruit.
Prepare the jelly follwiong the instruction on the box and spread a thin layer to avoid the fruit to become dark.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
I also make this with leftovers of Panettone or other sponge cakes and pound cakes.

PORCINI MUSHROOMS FETTUCCINE WITH BREAD AND WALNUTS CRUMBS

First course - vegetarian


1/2 lb porcini mushrooms fettuccine
4 tbsp bread crumbs (coarse)
4 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
2 sage leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
hot red pepper flakes

These fettuccine, as all the flavored pastas, need a sauce that enhances their flavor, not that covers it, so forget tomato sauces or creamy ones.

Put a tall pot with water to a boil, when boiling, add salt and pasta, stir well to prevent sticking.
During the 7-8 minutes of coking time, put a skillet on medium-high heat, warm the olive oil with garlic and sage, stirring and sauteing it for about 1-2 minutes.
Then add bread, walnut crumbs and a pinch of pepper flakes and salt mixing quickly and cook until bread crumbs are golden and crisp. Remove from heat.
When pasta is "al dente", drain it carefully to remove all water (that would wet the bread) and toss it in the skillet with the sauce, over high heat.
Stir well, if you think that the pasta is too dry, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and remove from heat.
Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped parsley (I would avoid parmesan because it would cover the pasta flavor).
Serves 2-3 people.

SUMMER ROAST WITH CAPERS SAUCE

Entree - second course

2 lbs Veal shoulder roast
2 medium onions, sliced
5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp capers, packed in salt and rinsed
2 sage leaves
2 rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups vegetable stocks
1/2 red bell pepper, roasted
1/2 zucchini, sliced and roasted
2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken broth)
2 tomatoes, diced

In a deep skillet with lid, over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp oil, add onions and capers and cook until onions are translucent.
Season meat with salt and pepper; in a skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining oil; add sage, rosemary and veal and sautee until meat is golden brown on all sides.
Transfer it to the skillet with onions and cook for 5 minutes uncovered, then cover and let it roast for 10 minutes, turning it often.
Add the wine and let the alcohol evaporate, then add the stock, lower the heat and stew it, covered, for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
When the meat is cooked through, remove it from the pan and set aside to cool; reduce the cooking juice if necessary and transfer it to a food processor together with pepper and zuchini. Puree until you obtain a smooth sauce.
Adjust with salt, if necessary, and set aside.
Slice the roast and serve it with the sauce, garnished with the tomatoes.
Serves 4 to 6 people.

STEWED ARTICHOKES AND POTATOES WITH ONIONS

Side dish - Vegetarian

1 small onion, chopped
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges
10 1/2 oz artichoke hearts, sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

In a deep skillet or a saucepan on medium heat, warm oil and sautee the onion for about 4-5 minutes, until it becomes lightly brown and tender.
Add potatoes and artichokes, stir well to combine, adjust with salt and pepper and add 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil then lower heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the vegetables are ready, add parsley (and salt and pepper if necessary) and stir; arrange on a platter, sprinkle with more parsley and serve immediately.

It saves time if you use frozen artichoke hearts or fresh pre-cleaned ones.
It pairs with red and white meats, fish eggs but it's great alone, too.

FISH SOUP LUCIANO'S STYLE

Soup - Main entree - vegetarian

1 lb mussels, cleaned
1 lb clams, cleaned
1 lb salmon, cubed
4 crab legs
1 lb baby shrimps
8 medium prawns
1/2 lb fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
25 oz strained or chopped San Marzano (or whole, peeled ones to be chopped)
4 cloves arlic
10 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 tbsp chopped parsley
salt, pepper (or chilli pepper flakes)

In a big skillet over medium heat, warm 4 tbsp of olive oil, add 1 clove garlic (crushed), clams and mussels and cook, covered, until they open, discard the closed ones.
Put a big saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining olive oil and garlic, add the salmon and sautee it for a couple of minutes; put in the clams and the mussels (without the cooking water, to be carefully filtered and saved).
Add crab legs and white wine, let the alcohol evaporate; sitr and add both tomatoes, adjust with salt and pepper (or hot pepper flakes), stir and cook for about 10 minutes.
At this point put in the medium prawns, stir and cook for 5 more minutes and, after this time frame, add the baby shrimp, continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
If you think that the sauce is too thick, you can add a part of the cooking water you saved.
Divide into individual bowls, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

This soup pairs perfectly with toasted bread, ciabatta is the best one, rubbed with garlic.

This week, the recipe has been created and kindly provided by Luciano, chef of Luciano's Restaurant.

CHOCOLATE FETTUCCINE, STRAWBERRY AND ICE CREAM

dessert

1 lb chocolate fettuccine
6 scoops of vanilla ice cream
4 oz dark chocolate (or 6 tsp od cocoa powder)
2 tbsp heavy cream

For the Strawberry coulisse:
3/4 lb strawberries
3 oz sugar
2 oz water
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp lemon juice

First of all put a pot of lightly salted water to boil.
In the mean time, prepare the coulisse: wash and dice the strawberry, put them in a little saucepan together with sugar, water, lemon juice and corn starch. Cook them on a low heat, mixing with a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients, for about 30 minutes.
Once the water boils, cook pasta for 8-10 minutes, drain and chill.
Mix the pasta with the coulisse, as you would do with any pasta and sauce.
Melt the chocolate with the cream.
Place the "seasoned" pasta in 6 little plates, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with warm chocolate.
If you prefer, you can thaw a little the ice cream and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
Decorate with strawberry slices and mint leaves and serve immediately.

If you have some coulisse left, it maintains well in a closed container, if refrigerated, for a few days and you can use it over ice creams, cheese cakes and more.

You'll find the pasta at every farmers' Market (Tue: Methodist Church - Sparks / Wed: Somersett / Thu: Sparks Downtown / Fri: Tamarack Junction / Sat: California Ave and Booth) at the Pappardelle's booth.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES SAUCE

First course - vegetarian

1 lb of pasta (your favorite one)
4 medium tomatoes really ripe
4 leaves of fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of extravirgin olive oil
salt - pepper (optional)

Put a pot with water to boil.
In the mean time, dice the tomatoes, put them in a bowl with the garlic, the basil, salt, olive oil and pepper. Set aside.
When the water boils add salt and pasta, stir.
Now put a skillet on medium/high heat and, when it's warm, toss in it the tomatoes with thier juice, stirring.
Drain the pasta and toss it in the skillet with the tomatoes, sautee for a couple of minutes and serve.

When you sautee the pasta with the sauce, you can add chopped mozzarella in it.
If you don't like the tomato peel, peel them this way:
- make a cross on the bottom of the tomatoes
- put them in boiling water for 30 seconds
- take them out and the peel will come away easily.