STRAWBERRIES WITH RED WINE

Fragole Ubriache

SERVES 6–8

These strawberries are delicious with a spoonful (or three, like my grandpa used to have) of unsweetened whipped cream. Once you have eaten all the berries, dip some old bread into the wine or just drink it.

4 cups ripe strawberries, cut in half, or 4 firm peaches, pitted and sliced in quarters

3 cups leftover red wine

2 tbsp. raw or cane sugar

2 cups heavy cream

Place the fruit in a heatproof bowl or other container.

Pour the wine into a saucepan with the sugar and reduce it to 1 cup over medium heat. Pour the syrup on top of the fruit, then put the mixture in the fridge for about 2 hours to cool.

While it is cooling, make the topping by whipping the cream until firm.

Divide the fruit into bowls and top each one with a dollop of whipped cream to serve.

POACHED PEARS WITH RICOTTA AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Ricotta all’Aceto e Pere

SERVES 4

This is such an easy dish to make. You can add a little sugar or honey to the ricotta if you like. It’s a fantastic dessert and very light because there is no flour or sugar. The balsamic glaze is just the icing on the cake—which in this case is not quite a cake, but whatever!

3 cups bold red wine, such as Chianti or Cabernet

½ cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

4 pears, peeled (Bartlett, Bosc, or any other hard-to-the-touch pear)

4–5 tbsp. ricotta cheese (see recipe on here)

8 tbsp. balsamic glaze (see recipe on here)

In a large saucepan, combine the wine with the honey and the cinnamon and bring to a boil. Add the pears and simmer them in the wine for about 15 minutes.

Take the pears out and let them cool. Turn the heat up to high under the wine sauce and reduce it to about cup. Let the sauce cool and place it in the fridge.

Put a few tablespoons of sauce on each of 4 plates and place a pear on each one. Serve each pear with a few dollops of ricotta and a good drizzle of balsamic glaze on top.