Chocolate Truffles!

Okay, I must confess . . .  I'm a chocolate addict!   I am not ashamed of my secret, and I am willing to share the simple, secret recipe of my absolute favorite dessert: Chocolate Truffles!  


You can't resist these little yummy chocolate balls - they are so easy to make.  If you need something luscious just for yourself, or if you want to surprise your guests with a touch of sweetness, serve these truffles on a nice silver tray with a hot cup of coffee . . . or something stronger!

Tartufi di Cioccolato

Chocolate Truffles

8 cookies of your choice (to make it crunchy)   

½ cup butter

5 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon mixed walnuts and hazelnuts, finely chopped

1-2 tablespoons Rum

Crush cookies, and mix with walnuts and hazelnuts. Combine butter with cocoa, rum and sugar. Mix well. Stir the liquid into the crumble mixture. Roll into little balls. Roll balls in the cocoa powder until coated. Chill and serve!

Spatzle

              Photo:  Jacapo Pandolfini Copyright 2011

Today I'd love to share a recipe from Trentino - a charming place in northern Italy with beautiful mountains and a delicious way of cooking -  totally different from all other places of Italy.  The recipes have a strong influence from the bordering countries.  These cute, little (and tasty!) dumplings are called spatzle, which means ‘sparrow’ in German. You can eat them with butter, or you can add cheese and speck - a particular kind of smoked,  raw ham typical of this  part of Italy.

1 whole egg

1 cup water

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons minced, boiled spinach

2 tablespoons butter

1 pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Boil spinach, and drain well, squeezing out the water with your hands. 
Once the spinach is as dry as possible, chop it well.

Beat egg with a whisk.  Place flour in a bowl.
Add egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper, and mix well.  Slowly add water, beating the mixture with 
a whisk until all the lumps are gone.  Add spinach and stir until smooth.  Set aside for 30 
minutes.

Get a metal colander with large holes and a spatula. 
Press the mixture through the colander, gathering the little dumplings on a tray.

Heat butter over a medium-high fire in a sauté pan.  Cook the spatzle for 3 minutes.

Serve hot with a good white wine like Riesling or Gewuztraminer.

Spatzle

              Photo:  Jacapo Pandolfini Copyright 2011

Today I'd love to share a recipe from Trentino - a charming place in northern Italy with beautiful mountains and a delicious way of cooking -  totally different from all other places of Italy.  The recipes have a strong influence from the bordering countries.  These cute, little (and tasty!) dumplings are called spatzle, which means ‘sparrow’ in German. You can eat them with butter, or you can add cheese and speck - a particular kind of smoked,  raw ham typical of this  part of Italy.

1 whole egg

1 cup water

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons minced, boiled spinach

2 tablespoons butter

1 pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Boil spinach, and drain well, squeezing out the water with your hands.  Once the spinach is

as dry as possible, chop it well.

Beat egg with a whisk.  Place flour in a bowl.  Add egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper, and mix

well.  Slowly add water, beating the mixture with a whisk until all the lumps are gone.

Add spinach and stir until smooth. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Get a metal colander with large holes and a spatula. Press the mixture through the colander, gathering the little dumplings on a tray.

Heat butter over a medium-high fire in a sauté pan.  Cook the spatzle for 3 minutes.

Serve hot with a good white wine like Riesling or Gewuztraminer.

Dinner with a Dragon

I am about to prepare dinner for  friends - a lot of them! I want to surprise my guests with a recipe that takes me back to my childhood.  My mother used to prepare this Pesce Finto (mock fish) for me and my brother.  We are still big fans of this delicious dish made with tuna and potatoes.  My mother always served the dish in  funny shapes – just like I’m going to do tonight.

I'm proud to show you the picture of my tuna dragon!  I'm always pressing my boyfriend to shoot the pics for this blog (almost every day!), so I think he deserves a double dragon portion and a kiss!

The recipe is basic, easy and cheap.  The results are excellent.  If you like, you can add a boiled egg, or use it to garnish.  I must confess, I use readymade mayonnaise for this recipe.  The homemade version is too heavy, but you can taste this and create your own version.

You must always add your personal secret ingredient: your creativity! Always add a nice glass of sparkling white wine too.  Cheers to the dragons!

(PESCE FINTO/MOCK FISH)

2 kg (about 4 pounds) yellow potatoes

1 cup canned tuna in oil  (choose a brand that saves the dolphins)

1 cup mixed pickles

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon vinegar

Salt and pepper

Olives and gherkins to garnish

Peel potatoes and boil them in a large pot.

When the potatoes are ready, drain, and cut into small pieces. To achieve the proper texture for this recipe, use cold potatoes.  Otherwise, it all goes to mush!  While the potatoes are cooling, get a large mixing bowl, and mix drained tuna, chopped pickles, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Now add cold chopped potatoes and 2 tablespoons of good olive oil.  Mix it all together with a fork, making sure you still see some of the potato chunks.

Work the mixture into your favourite shape (a fish, a heart, etc.) with your hands or a spatula.  Garnish as you like.

Serves 6 hungry friends

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

PANINI

Mi dispiace!!  I haven't posted in quite some time.  I've been very busy with far too many things on my plate.  I'm out and about, traveling to beautiful Vulcano and will share my adventures and recipes as soon as I can.  In the meantime, I'll post a couple simple recipes to hold you over!

D'accordo - Today I want to talk about panini!  The panino is one of the most genial inventions in the world. It's perfect for a merenda (Italian afternoon snack), a pic-nic, or a light lunch.  All it takes are two slices of bread and a lot of imagination!

There are infinite ways to fill your panino, but the most important thing is the bread.  Italians prefer a rosetta bread with almost everything.  Slice it in half, dip the halves in roast beef sauce and fill it with slices of meat – amazing!  Or, fill it with prosciutto, ham and cheese, with mortadella, with salami or with an omelette. These are just a few ways to eat panini.  Choose your favorite – be creative!

Let's Talk About Ice Cream

If you're strolling under the sun in the streets of Florence and get a craving for ice cream, please don't stop by the ‘tourist traps’ that sell fake, handmade ice cream.  If you venture just a few steps off the tourist path, you’ll find my three favorite authentic handmade ‘gelato’ bars.

Vivoli

You must try Vivoli ice cream. I love their pear-caramel ice cream and the festinalente, a delicious cream with spicy ginger.  Since1930, Florentines have gone to this charming place.  It's so famous that the ice cream master, Silvana, was “kidnapped” by the owner of  Divino, an Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, to make her beautiful desserts for the stars. It seems that Dustin Hoffman and Harrison Ford really appreciated her gelato!  

Caramel Gelato

Another historical ice cream parlor is Perchè No? (“Why Not?”).  Since 1939, they’ve made divine handmade ice cream. It's on a little street near Duomo, and it has the most fantastic dark chocolate sherbet of the planet. If you add a touch of cinnamon cream you are in heaven, but don't miss their pistache ice cream - it is the best in town.

Perchè No?

Near Santa Croce, in Via de'Neri, stop by Gelateria de' Neri and choose from their large selection of lovely of ice cream tastes. Personally, I adore the semifreddo al Gianduia or any of the fruit gelatos -  malaga, pineseeds, Mexican spicy chocolate ...well, almost everything! They also make ice-cream cakes to die for!

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

I decided to open my cabinet of curiosities and give you some tips and information in case you ever want to visit Florence, my beautiful city. I'll give you some of the hidden details of my fascinating town and introduce you to my favorite places, my  family traditions and a lot of things you'll never find in the tourist guides. My recipe for a perfect visit comes with a pinch of history, a dash of culture, and a drizzle of tradition. Are you ready for an art- tradition- gastronomic tour?

Today we'll jump back to the 16^th century, to the beautiful Piazza Santa Croce and the ‘Calcio in Costume’ -  The Florentine Historical Football Game!

Every year, since early 1500s,  the most violent early form of football is played.  It all begins with a parade of Flag Throwers walking into the old town to the sound of ancient drums.  The ball is made from strips of leather and the goal is called ‘caccia.’ There are four (4) teams, because the town was divided in four parts: Santa Croce / Azzurri (Blues), Santa Maria Novella / Rossi (Reds), Santo Spirito / Bianchi (Whites), and my favorites -  San Giovanni / Verdi (Greens).

In the beginning, historical football was a game for aristocrats, and there is still a costume parade with the Florentine nobles.  You'll see counts, marquises and dukes, walking the streets in armor and ancient costumes.

It's such a beautiful experience, a living history.

I have a family coincidence to the ‘calcio storico.’ My father was the captain of the Greens aristocratic parade (I can remember him dressed up in such funny clothes!).  He was the first Count of ancient Scottish origins to be admitted in a very very exclusive Florentine parade.  Well, it just so happens that I recently found out that my boyfriend’s father was the captain of the same football team, the Greens…and was a hell of a player!  I found this out last week when I was tidying up the cellar of boyfriends’ father and found some old pics of Calcio Storico.  In three of the old photos I saw someone very familiar: my father dressed up like a knight! I got goose bumps holding the pics!  I loved  him so much and after 15 years from his death I still miss him terribly. This incredible coincidence could only be a sign of destiny.

If you want to see more photos, here is a link (I'm proud to tell you that the photographer is my boyfriend)

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/30410699@N07/ )

LE CANNELLE

Tonight, I'm cooking for my long-time friend, Sara.  We dine together quite often, and our dinners are always full of laughs, great wine and food.  I promise to post tonight's recipes very soon, but while I’m surrounded by the mouth-watering aroma of all the delicious dishes that are simmering away on a low fire,  I want to share a precious address with you - should you ever venture to my part of the world. 

You see, Sara owns a charming B&B in Fiesole -a beautiful 9^th century BC Etruscan town up in the hills - about ten minutes, by bus, from Florence.  It is called ‘Le Cannelle’ -  a magical place you must not miss.  

For my boyfriend’s last birthday, Sara gave us the most romantic suite in the B & B!  It's right in the center of the old town, but it is very quiet and relaxing and the view is astonishing.  It is absolutely the best accommodation, with convenient prices and perfect service.

For more information, go to:  http://www.lecannelle.com/home.htm.

That's all for now, I have to go to stir the sauce for crostini!

CINNAMON APPLE PIE - MY WAY

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

I cook this quick version of an apple pie quite often, and it’s always a success. You see, I love apples - in cakes, pies and pastries.  This recipe is perfect for many occasions - as a sweet and light dessert after lunch or dinner, for breakfast, or during a relaxing coffee or tea break.

I made it as a dinner dessert this evening, hoping for two tiny leftover slices for breakfast, but my dinner guests devoured it!  Oh well, it makes me happy, and I can’t blame them – it was delicious!  Tomorrow we'll go out for breakfast!

 CINNAMON APPLE  PIE - MY WAY

Pasta frolla:

2/3 cup flour

3 tablespoons sugar

A pinch of salt

7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 egg

A pinch of grated lemon zest

Combine flour and sugar in a bowl, making a hole in the center like a volcano.  Add the egg to the center.  Add butter, and mix with a wooden spoon.  Add salt and lemon zest.  Working with your hands, make a dough.

Cover the dough with a linen towel and wait an half an hour.  The, work the dough with a rolling pin until flat.  Shape it  into a circle, and place the dough on a buttered baking tin.

Preheat oven to 350º.

For the topping:

2 Golden Delicious apples, cut into thin slices

A pinch of cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

A half lemon, squeezed

4 tablespoons apricot jam (or your favorite jam)

A handful of raisins

A handful of pine nuts

Spread jam on the pasta frolla. Place a layer of apples over the jam.  Drizzle with lemon juice to avoid oxidation.  Add raisins and pine nuts.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 15 minutes and serve.  If you like, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

LEMON FLAVORED MEATBALLS (Polpette al Limone)

Photo:  Copyright 2011 Jacapo Pandolfini

There are so many ways to cook meatballs.  Everyone has their own secret family recipe.  Meatballs were born to recycle mixed leftovers.  So, feel free to create your own personal recipe, adding vegetables, potatoes,  tomato sauce - whatever you like. 

I always improvise with this recipe.  I adore these little tasty, cute meatballs made with a spoon of ricotta cheese.  The ricotta gives the dish a softness, and the lemon rind and ginger make it fresh and light.  It will be the first of many meatballs recipes I'll post in this blog, because there are infinite variations.   I must confess that it is one of my favorite dishes, so I cook them often.

2 bread slices

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup ground beef and pork, mixed

1 tablespoon ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon chopped basil

1 egg

Lemon rind from half a lemon

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of ginger

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Flour (for rolling the meatballs)

Soak bread in milk until soft.  Mix all ingredients together with a fork until well blended. 

Roll meatballs into small balls, and roll them though the flour.

Heat oil in a sautè pan, and cook meatballs for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with greens or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4

GRANDMA MARIA FRANCESCA'S SFINCIONE

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

* Here is the recipe that was just posted on http://www.our-food-recipes.com/italian-food-recipes.html.  

This recipe of  ‘sfincione’ is my Grandmother's creation. She was a fantastic Sicilian lady full of humor and creativity, and her house was always crowded with the usual last minute guests.  In the kitchen she was my bright star.  Not only did I learn many delicious recipes from her, I also learned the joy of hosting and laughing with my dear friends and family around the dining table.

This recipe is absolutely Sicilian. It is a savory, easy and cheap dish. 

If you prepare the dish a day ahead, it will taste even better!

4 potatoes, sliced

6 tomatoes, sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 Mozzarella, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons oregano

Salt, pepper, basil

Preheat oven to 350°

In a large casserole, alternate layers of potatoes, onion, mozzarella and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper and add oregano and basil.  Bake for 2 hours.

Serves 4

Check out this site!

I just found out that another one my recipes has been posted on www.our--food-recipes.com

Check it out!

http://www.our-food-recipes.com/italian-food-recipes.html

Ciao!
Ippo

Carpaccio di Zucchini

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

This morning, at the farmer's market, I picked up the first zucchini of the season -  so young and tender!  The best way to enhance their freshness is to eat them raw in a wonderful, healthy and tasty Carpaccio di Zucchini.

     In Italy, we usually use the word  ‘Carpaccio’ for meat, but it can be any thinly sliced, raw vegetable or meat, seasoned with olive oil and Parmesan.  The creator of this recipe was Cipriani, owner of Harry's Bar in beautiful Venice.  He prepared this light dish (for a noble lady who was on a diet) as a tribute to the famous painter, Vittore Carpaccio.

     There something about this recipe I really love.  Maybe it’s the fresh, crunchy, raw zucchini, or maybe it’s the pine nuts and Parmesan.  It has a very peculiar and enjoyable taste, and it's so easy to make!

Carpaccio di Zucchini

4 young  crunchy zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced Parmesan

4 whole mint leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pine nuts

1 bunch Arugula

Place uncooked zucchini on a tray.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with lemon juice and oil. Cover with Parmesan slices, mint leaves and pine nuts.  Serve cold, garnishing with arugula.

A LONELY EGGPLANT

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

Yesterday I had a lonely eggplant in my fridge.  It was a long, beautiful, purple one.  Instead of turning it into a pasta sauce as usual, or into a side dish, I wanted to experiment with something new.  I had an idea: my eggplant was perfect for an Italian version of my favorite middle eastern dish, the babaganoush - an eggplant cream with a delicious spicy flavor.

I had a big chunk of ‘pecorino di grotta’ -  a sheep cheese, aged in the darkness of the caves, and I needed something to enhance the beautiful flavor of this cheese.  I improvised this  recipe with what I had at home. I used three olives, forgotten in a little Chinese bowl (a leftover of an antipasto), a  lemon rind and some fresh mint leaves picked from one of my herb vases.  I made this mousse my way - with an authentic Italian flavor.  I served it in a bowl, ready to be spread with cheese slices or to use as grissini (bread sticks) for dipping.  Add a generous glass of hearty red wine, and my antipasto was perfecto!

 EGGPLANT MOUSSE

1 eggplant

Lemon zest to taste

Mint leaves

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½  garlic clover

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°

Cut the in eggplant in half and bake until tender (approximately 20 minutes).  Carefully peel the eggplant halves.  Dice the pieces, and place in the food processor.  Add garlic, oil, salt, pepper and some mint leaves and lemon zest.  Process until well blended.  Arrange the mousse into a nice circular shape, garnishing with mint leaves and olives.  Serve at room temperature with bread sticks and aged cheese.

I'm so excited!

One of my favorite recipes - Ribolitta- was just published on the site, Our Food Recipes.
This terrific site showcases family recipes, history and food lore.  I hope you'll check it out:
http://www.our-food-recipes.com/european-medieval-food-recipes.html

Grazie!
Ippo

I Love Ricotta!

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

I love to bake cakes, pies and cookies.  It's relaxing, and  the house smells good!  Today I've found an exquisite fresh ‘ricotta,’ a soft cheese made with sheep milk.  Ricotta is a very light and versatile cheese.  It can be used for both sweet and salty recipes. 

I’m giving you the recipe I improvised, with chocolate chips  and candied orange slices.

The basic ingredients are pasta frolla (a dough made with flour, butter, eggs and sugar) and soft cheese.  Use your imagination to create your own version, adding fresh fruit, raisins, nuts . . . whatever you like.

TORTA DI RICOTTA

Pasta frolla:

 1 cup flour

 3 tablespoons sugar

A pinch of salt

7 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 egg, beaten

A pinch of grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a bowl, combine flour and sugar.  Make a hole, like a volcano, in the mixture.  Add the egg to the center.  Add butter, and stir with a wooden spoon.  Add salt and lemon zest. Working with your hands, make a dough.

     Cover the dough with a linen towel, and wait 30 minutes. Then, work the dough with a rolling pin until flat.  Shape it and place the dough on a buttered baking tin.

 For the top:

1 cup fresh ricotta or soft cheese, not salted

3 tabespoons sugar

Some chocolate chips

Orange jam

Candied oranges to garnish

 Preheat oven to 350°

Combine sugar, ricotta and chocolate chips.  Pour the mixture on the pasta frolla shell.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Garnish the torta with a thin layer of orange jam and candied slices.

Sweet wines like Porto, Passito or Moscato are perfect with this pie.

A Trip to Genoa

Photo:  Copyright 2011, Jacapo Pandolfini

This weekend, my boyfriend ( an antiques' dealer) and I went to Genoa.  There was an oriental antique art auction, and we indulged, tasting the traditional dishes of this beautiful town. Pasta with pesto is the most popular dish.

Genoa is a place full of life with an important port and a long history.  The soil and the sea breeze in this area create a basil crop  with a stunning aroma.  It gives this famous pesto sauce a genuine and full-bodied flavor.

 Linguine with Pesto

1 pound linguine pasta

A bunch of fresh basil

Pine nuts

2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated

1 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, grated

1 clove garlic

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 medium potato, large dice

Green beans, cleaned, tips removed.

Cook potato and green beans in boiling, salted water until tender. Save the water.

Combine pine nuts, garlic and basil in a mortar or food processor, adding oil, cheese and pepper.  Cook pasta in the pot of water used for the vegetables.  When the pasta is ready, gently mix in the pesto, and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Serves 4

Beautiful Siena

I've just got back from Siena, a beautiful, Tuscan town full of history.  The gorgeous surrounding hills are full of iron, giving the ground the typical red-brown color ‘terra di Siena’  (Siena soil).

I'm not here to talk about the amazing architecture of this town, but if you to travel around Tuscany; a stop in Siena is obligatory.  You must not miss Piazza del Campo where, every year, they hold the traditional horse race called the, ‘Palio’ or ‘Torre del Mangia.’

The traditional specialties of this territory are exquisite.  As a tribute to this town, I'm going to share with you one of the most famous recipes of Siena -  Pici all'Aglione.

Pici is a particular kind of pasta, similar to spaghetti, but with a larger diameter.  If you can't find it or don't have time to make your own, you can dress spaghetti with this tasty tomato garlic sauce.

The recipe is easy and its flavor is enhanced by adding a lot of garlic (aglio).  So, if you're going to invite a vampire for dinner, please pick another recipe from this blog! (and watch your neck!)

Pici all'Aglione

1 pound pici or spaghetti

1 can tomato sauce or 8 fresh tomatoes,

    peeled and diced

4 garlic cloves, slivered

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

A pinch of hot pepper

Basil leaves

Pecorino di Siena, thinly sliced

While the pasta water is boiling, sauté garlic in oil – pay attention- do not let it brown or burn!  Add the tomatoes, basil, salt, and hot pepper.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick.

Cook pasta al dente and drain.  Add the pici directly to the sauce, and mix well. 

Serve with Pecorino slices on top. 

The perfect wine for this dish is a hearty Chianti Colli Senesi.

PICI ALL'AGLIONE
Photo:  Copyright 2011 Jacapo Pandolfini

Here in Florence, the winter is very chilly, and there's nothing better than a hot, spicy soup to warm your heart.  Tonight, for dinner,  I'm going to cook an ancient traditional peasant recipe from the beautiful town of Lucca.  A comforting bean soup full of genuine ingredients, proteins, and fiber -  with such a delicious taste! The recipe is easy and cheap. 

My day ahead is very busy, so I'm going to make the soup with canned beans, but if you have the time, you can use two cups dried beans, soaked overnight in water.  Cook them for 50 minutes in boiling water until tender.  Then, simply drain the beans and follow the recipe.

ZUPPA di FARRO

2 cans borlotti or cannellini beans

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 dried hot chili pepper

A few sage and rosemary leaves, minced

1 clove garlic

3 cups water

Salt and pepper

1 cup spelt

With a food processor or potato masher, mash the beans until creamy.  Set aside.

Sauté garlic in 1tablespoon olive oil over a low flame.  Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Add mashed beans, rosemary, sage, hot chilly pepper, salt and 3 cups of water. 

Simmer gently, mixing constantly. If the water evaporates and the bean soup is too thick, add water until the texture is liquid-creamy.

Boil a cup of spelt, drain and add to the bean cream.  Sprinkle with pepper, drizzle with oil and enjoy this super traditional Tuscan recipe!

The taste is at its best with a glass of hearty red wine. Most things taste better this way!

Serves 4

ZUPPA DI FARRO
Photo:  Copyright 2011 Jacapo Pandolfini

Tuesday in Firenze

Living in the center of Florence has its privileges. Not only am I surrounded by beautiful ancient architecture, my home is close to the cutest little veggie market called the Sant'Ambrogio street market. I shop there almost every day, because I can always find really fresh vegetables, fruit, local cheese and herbs.

My favorite stall (bancarella, in Italian) is maybe not the most charming one, but it has organic products grown by an old farmer who cultivates them without using any pesticide. There, you can buy vegetables just picked from the garden. Today there were some gorgeous Brussels sprouts. I just had to take them home with me!

When the farmer gave me a bunch of fresh thyme as a gift, I started scheming on how I would combine these two beautiful ingredients. You see, I have dinner guests tonight, and I don't want to serve them boring, boiled Brussels sprouts.  Luckily, Inspiration hit when the aroma of fantastic smoked cheese (scamorza affumicata) lured me to the cheese stand.  All I needed were a few bacon (pancetta) slices for this super easy, tasty recipe.  I hope you enjoy it!  Ciao!

Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Cheese Gratin

1 pound Brussel Sprouts

5 thin slices smoked cheese

6 bacon slices

1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper

Clean the brussel sprouts, cutting away the first leaves and the tip of the little stalks.  Wash them, and steam until tender. In the meantime, pre-heat oven to medium heat (350°). Drizzle oil in a baking casserole.  Add the vegetables and cover with cheese slices.  Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.  Top with bacon slices . Bake until the cheese is melted and bacon is crispy.

Serves 4

Ippo’s secret: to neutralize the Brussels sprout’s nasty smell, add a half lemon or a few drops of vinegar to the boiling water. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH SMOKED CHEESE GRATIN
Photo:  Copyright 2011 Jacapa Pandolfini

My name is Contessa Ippolita Douglas Scotti di Vigoleno - a  very long name, so please call me ‘Ippo.’  I am a modern day Contessa, and my castle is my kitchen - full of exotic spices, well-worn pans, fresh flowers, magic, music, love and happiness. 


It is a typical day in Florence, and I'm on my way to the San Lorenzo market to buy sumptuous fresh fruits and vegetables.  On my way, I usually  pass through the Piazza della Signoria  and sometimes stop for a strong cup of espresso and delicate pastry.

I never know exactly who will show up at my dinner table in the evenings, so I always stock up on whatever strikes my fancy from the market.  Maybe tonight I will create a tasty Pollo alla Cacciatora (Chicken with Black Olives) for my guests, followed by a Mousse di Cioccolata (Chocolate Mousse).  A good bottle (or two!) of Brunello di Montalcino will never be wasted, nor will a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers. 

I hope you enjoy my culinary diary.  I leave you with tonight’s delicious main course! 

Ciao! 

IPPO

Pollo alla Cacciatora

(Chicken with Black Olives)

Italians cook game with black olives and pancetta (bacon).  We call it “alla cacciatore’ (in the hunter way). The hunters cooked it this way to smooth the  strong flavor of  game. 

1 whole chicken

2 slices bacon

A handful of olives

Fresh sage and rosemary

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup red wine

Salt and pepper

Cut chicken into pieces. Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Fry chicken, olives, herbs, salt, bacon and pepper for approximately 15 minutes.  Add wine and cover the pan.

Cook for another 10 minutes.  Serve with green beans.

Serves 4