GRAPE TART

Crostata di Uva

SERVES 8

I learned how to make this tart at the nameless deli where my grandpa and I took our grapes to have them pressed for wine. While we did the vendemmia—stomping on the grapes—the woman who worked there would make pie crust. When we were done, there were always a lot of partly crushed grapes left over, so she’d put them in pies and we’d take them home with our fifty gallons of juice for wine. This very simple, straightforward dessert will wow all your guests.

For the crust:

2¼ cups unbleached flour

cup superfine sugar

3 egg yolks

Peel of 1 lemon, grated

Pinch of salt

10 tbsp. (1¼ sticks) butter, cold and cut into pieces

For the filling:

2 egg whites

4 egg yolks

¼ cup flour

1 tbsp. Grand Marnier, or any orange liqueur

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup brown sugar

1 lb. seedless red grapes, stems removed

½ cup graham crackers, finely crushed

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Butter and flour the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round springform pan.

To make the crust, place all the crust ingredients except the butter into a food processor. Pulse about 10 times, then add the butter and pulse till incorporated. Do this quickly or the crust will fall apart in the oven. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To make the filling, whip the egg whites in a bowl until they form a medium peak (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the egg whites falling out) and put them aside. Place the rest of the filling ingredients except the grapes into a food processor and combine by pulsing. Remove and fold the whipped egg whites gently into the mixture.

Place the chilled dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out to about ¼-inch thick, so it will fit into your buttered, floured pan. Place the dough in the pan so it covers the bottom and a little bit of the sides of the pan.

Crush the grapes a bit with your hands and put them onto the crust dough, then pour in the filling and spread it evenly. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 1¼ hours or until the top and the pastry are browned.

Remove the tart from the oven, dust the top with graham cracker crumbs, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

 

FLUFFY CHESTNUT MILK PANCAKES

Necci

MAKES 8–10 PANCAKES

Come on, America, you don’t need an Italian to teach you how to make pancakes! Just cook them until they’re brown.

3 extra-large eggs, plus 3 egg yolks

2½ cups milk

2 cups chestnut flour, sifted

1 cup honey

3 cups ricotta cheese, plus extra for serving

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup roasted chestnuts, peeled and crumbled

Mix the eggs, egg yolks, and milk in a large bowl, then add the flour a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Mix in the honey and the 3 cups of ricotta.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat and use a ladle to put about 2 tablespoons of batter into the oil. Rotate the pan with your wrist to spread the batter into a thick disk shape, and fry until nicely browned. Flip to the other side and cook for 1 more minute. Put the pancake aside and repeat, adding more oil and batter for each pancake.

Spread the pancakes with ricotta and top with the crumbled chestnuts to serve.

 

ROASTED APPLES WITH RICOTTA, HAZELNUTS, AND CHOCOLATE

Mele Ripiene

SERVES 6

We always had big chunks of chocolate at my house, and we used to crack little pieces off with a knife and mix them with ricotta and a little bit of hazelnut for this dessert. We had a beautiful hazelnut tree outside my house, and my mom would send me out to pick nuts for this dish. It’s so simple, but amazing.

6 firm baking apples (such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Crispin, or Pippin)

½ cup honey, divided in 2

1½ cups ricotta cheese

1 tbsp. orange zest

1 cup hazelnuts, ground or crushed

½ cup dark chocolate, chopped

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Slice a small piece off each apple bottom so they will stand without falling over. Cut the tops off the apples and, using a spoon or small knife, carve out the inside, leaving a thickness of about 1 inch of apple all around. Place the apples in a buttered baking dish.

Mix half of the honey, the ricotta, the orange zest, the hazelnuts, and the chocolate in a bowl and fill the inside of each apple, mounding the top.

Drizzle with the rest of the honey and place in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the top starts to melt and the skin of the apples has colored a little bit.

Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar.