—FROM Under the Tuscan Sun
TULIP SHELLS WITH THREE BERRIES
FOLDED FRUIT TART WITH MASCARPONE
IVAN’S BIG BLACKBERRY CROSTATA
MASSIMO AND DANIELA’S WINE CAKE
After dinner in summer, someone will divide a watermelon into wedges. In winter, out comes a bowl of tangerines and a chunk of pecorino. Fruits of all seasons—cherries, grapes, plums, figs, pears, persimmons—are thought by Tuscans to bring a cena to a proper close. Not that they don’t like desserts. They tend to enjoy them for an occasional afternoon indulgence or when guests are at the table. The classics are panna cotta (cooked cream), crostata (jam tart), torta della nonna (custard in a pine-nut–studded crust), and gelato. When our Italian friends eat gelato, it’s usually after a movie or concert in the piazza.
Because of the tendency away from sweets, it took me years to appreciate the astonishing range of local dolci. Dinner by dinner, holiday by holiday, our friends served forth an ever-changing array of desserts. Chefs brought out their favorites. Some desserts are made for particular occasions. Serpent-shaped pastries filled with almond paste (oh, heavy!) are always on the table after Christmas dinner. Everyone has a bite. Before Lent, and only then, cenci, crunchy fried pastry bows, appear. In Cortona, most everyone serving a Sunday family lunch visits Pasticceria Banchelli for their famous cream-filled meringues. I’ve not included this recipe because I’ve never been able to replicate their airy confection. Maybe it’s the eggs, maybe it’s the North Carolina humidity, or maybe it’s Gianni’s ability to whisk like an angel. If you ever go to Cortona, try them.
The recipes in Dolci accumulated slowly, as Giusi introduced us to her berry-filled pastry tulips, as Silvia served us her ricotta tart and her steamed chocolate cake.
We must have had a hundred crostate at La Casita, the Cardinalis’ house. Donatella makes the best cantucci. The wine cake comes from Daniela and Massimo’s Bar Tuscher on the main street of Cortona. Maybe because she was born near Naples, with its Bourbon inheritance, Gilda prefers more elaborate roulades with cream and berries or large tarts overlapped with strawberries, kiwis, bananas, and raspberries.
Many desserts we improvised from a plethora of fruit—cherries steeped in red wine, peaches filled with almond cream, and winter pears in red wine. Some come from travels: we tasted Apple in a Cage in the Veneto, semifreddo in Naples. The one that traveled the farthest is the Lemon Cake, all the way from my mother’s kitchen in Georgia. She used to say, as she served one of her Deep South wonders, “Sweets to the sweet.”
I used to think dessert had to be chocolate. That’s still hard to top, but I’ve come to love the simplicity of fruit on its own—a slice of pineapple with a drop or so of fine balsamic vinegar, or a handful of cherries served with a bowl of water for rinsing, figs, and a dab of Gorgonzola. Still, a celebration calls for something, well—celebratory, and Tuscans flat-out know how to celebrate with a soulful and stupendous finale.
Super rich, this gelato makes me want to give up my citizenship and decamp permanently. Even people who claim not to like ice cream slip into a swoon over this one.
As in the Clementine Sorbetto, I like to intensify the fruit’s taste by adding a little liqueur of the same fruit. When you toast the hazelnuts, watch them carefully; they burn easily. After five minutes, wrap them in a dishtowel and rub off the fine brown skins.
SERVES 8 TO 10 (ABOUT 2 QUARTS)
| 6 | EGG YOLKS |
| 1½ | CUPS SUGAR |
| 1 | QUART HALF-AND-HALF |
| 1 | TABLESPOON FRANGELICO (HAZELNUT LIQUEUR) OR 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT |
| 2 | CUPS HEAVY CREAM |
| 1½ | CUPS HAZELNUTS, TOASTED AND CHOPPED |
| ZEST OF 1 LEMON |
In a medium bowl, beat the yolks and sugar until nicely incorporated. In a large saucepan, bring the half-and-half almost to a boil over medium-high heat. Quickly remove from the heat. Whisk ½ cup of the heated cream into the eggs and sugar, and then stir it all back into the hot half-and-half. Lower the heat to a good simmer, and stir the mixture until it thickens and coats a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Don’t allow it to boil. Set aside and whisk in the Frangelico or vanilla and the heavy cream and then the hazelnuts and lemon zest.
Chill the mixture thoroughly (7 to 8 hours). Stir well again and process as your ice cream machine requires.
Is anything better than homemade peach ice cream? You can use other fruits, but why? Just be sure to use ripe peaches, white if possible.
SERVES 14 (ABOUT 3 QUARTS)
| 3 | EGGS, BEATEN |
| 1 | CUP SUGAR |
| 1 | QUART WHOLE MILK |
| 1 | CUP HEAVY CREAM |
| 1 | TABLESPOON ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| 1⁄8 | TEASPOON SALT |
| QUARTS PEELED AND PITTED PEACHES | |
| JUICE OF 1 LEMON | |
| 1 | TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT |
Beat together the eggs and half of the sugar in a small bowl. In a large saucepan, bring the milk and cream almost to a boil over medium-high heat. Quickly remove from the heat. Whisk ½ cup of the heated milk/cream into the egg and sugar mixture, then stir it all back into the saucepan. Stir in the flour, salt, and ¼ cup of sugar. Lower the heat to a good simmer, and stir the mixture until it thickens and coats a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Don’t allow it to boil. Set aside.
Purée the peaches with the lemon juice, the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, and the vanilla. Fold and blend the fruit into the custard mixture. Chill the mixture thoroughly (7 to 8 hours). Stir well again and process as your ice cream machine requires.
I tasted this unlikely but tantalizing sorbetto at the ancient fattoria-turned-restaurant Locanda dell’;Amorosa, in nearby Sinalunga. At a wedding dinner, it was served after the pasta and fish courses and before the secondo. The next day I tried to duplicate it at home. More informally, at our house, it’s an icy palate cleanser after the pasta on a warm summer night.
SERVES 8 (ABOUT 1½ PINTS)
| 3 | CUPS WATER |
| 1 | CUP SUGAR |
| ½ | CUP MINT LEAVES, PLUS ADDITIONAL LEAVES FOR GARNISH |
| ½ | CUP BASIL LEAVES |
| 1 | TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE |
In a medium saucepan, make a sugar syrup by boiling together 1 cup of water with the sugar. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Put the saucepan in the refrigerator to cool.
Purée the ½ cup of mint and ½ cup of basil leaves in 1 cup of water, and then add the remaining cup of water and the lemon juice. Purée another 3 to 4 seconds to blend well. Pour this into the saucepan with the sugar syrup, and chill well for 5 to 6 hours. Stir well again and process as your ice cream machine requires. Scoop into martini glasses or any small glass dishes and garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.
In the winter, when clementines roll in from Sicily, I like to serve this easy sorbetto.
If I’d grown up in Tuscany, I’m sure the fragrance of citrus would be indelibly associated with Christmas. The holiday decorations on all the shops in Assisi are lemon boughs. Against the pale stones, the fruit glows like lighted ornaments and the scent of lemons infuses the cold air. In Cortona, baskets of clementines brighten the streets. Bars are squeezing that most opulent of juices, the dark blood orange.
This ethereal sorbetto, which works wonders as a pause in a winter dinner or as a dessert, also can be made with blood orange or other juices. Try to find untreated clementines; in the United States, the peel is often coated with a chemical-based wax.
SERVES 6 (MAKES 3½ CUPS)
| 2 | CUPS COLD WATER |
| 1 | CUP SUGAR |
| 2 | CUPS CLEMENTINE OR TANGERINE JUICE, PLUS ZEST OF 3 CLEMENTINES |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE, PLUS ZEST |
| SPRIGS OF MINT OR THYME, FOR GARNISH |
In a medium saucepan, make a sugar syrup by boiling together 1 cup of water with the sugar. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Add the other 1 cup of water and mix in the citrus juices and zests. Chill for 5 to 6 hours. Stir well again and process as your ice cream machine requires. Scoop the sorbetto into martini glasses or any small glass dishes and garnish with mint or thyme sprigs.
Not gelato, not sorbetto—semifreddo occupies a niche. The light and creamy texture melts fast in your mouth, leaving the essential freshness of the fruit. It’s easy, too, since you need no ice cream machine. Semifreddo keeps well in the freezer for a week.
SERVES 8
| 1½ | PINTS STRAWBERRIES, HULLED |
| 1 | TABLESPOON ORANGE JUICE |
| 1¼ | CUPS SUGAR |
| 4 | EGGS |
| ¼ | CUP WHOLE MILK |
| 1 | TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT |
| ½ | CUP (4 OUNCES) MASCARPONE |
| 1½ | CUPS HEAVY CREAM |
Purée the strawberries (reserving and refrigerating several pretty ones) with the orange juice and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Chill the purée in a large bowl until ready to use.
Bring water almost to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler, then lower the heat to a good simmer. In the top, beat the eggs with the remaining sugar, the milk, and vanilla. Whisk continuously for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and forms trailing ribbons. Reserve ¼ cup of the strawberry purée, then whisk the egg mixture into the purée. Cool the mixture in the fridge about 1½ hours.
Line a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches overhanging the sides.
When the strawberry-egg mixture has cooled, whisk in the mascarpone. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until firm peaks form. Fold the cream into the strawberry and mascarpone mixture.
Pour the semifreddo into the pan, and freeze for at least 4 hours. Unmold by loosening the plastic wrap, then inverting the pan onto a serving dish. Add the reserved strawberries to the remaining ¼ cup strawberry purée and spoon this over the semifreddo in the dish or over individual servings.
Cooked cream is similar to crème brûlée, without the crunch of the caramelized sugar. Panna cotta more than compensates with its velvety texture. This is a classic Tuscan dessert. Serve it with a dollop of puréed and sweetened berries, or simply with a few whole berries scattered on top.
I wonder if panna cotta’s popularity is due partly to its under-ten-minute prep time.
SERVES 6
| UNSALTED BUTTER, FOR THE RAMEKINS | |
| 3¼ | CUPS HEAVY CREAM |
| ZEST OF 1 LEMON OR ORANGE | |
| PINCH OF SALT | |
| ½ | CUP PLUS 1 TABLESPOON SUGAR |
| 2 | TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT |
| 2½ | TEASPOONS UNFLAVORED GELATIN |
| 3 | TABLESPOONS TEPID WHOLE MILK |
| 1 | CUP RASPBERRIES |
Butter six 3½-inch ramekins.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, zest, salt, and ½ cup sugar almost to a boil. The cream will be bubbling slightly around the edges. Reduce the heat to medium low, and stir the mixture for 5 minutes, until the cream is tinted with the zest. Stir in the vanilla and remove the saucepan from the heat.
In a small dish, dissolve the gelatin in the milk for a minute and then add to it a couple of spoonfuls of the hot cream. Whisk with a fork, and then add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan. Continue to stir until all the gelatin is dissolved. Divide the cream among the ramekins. Cool on the counter or in the fridge until set.
Serve the panna cotta in the ramekins or unmold by loosening the sides with a thin knife. If you’re serving them later, cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge. When serving, sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the raspberries and decorate the top of each panna cotta with the berries.
Poached pears look sensuous, and tinted with red wine, downright sexy. In winter, their taste is heightened when served along with some Gorgonzola, toasted bread, and walnuts roasted with olive oil and salt. In summer, serve the pears with sweetened mascarpone and curls of lemon peel.
SERVES 6
| 6 | FIRM PEARS, PEELED, WITH STEMS LEFT ON |
| ¼ | CUP LEMON JUICE, PLUS THIN STRIPS OF LEMON PEEL, FOR GARNISH |
| 1 | CUP RED WINE |
| ¼ | CUP SUGAR |
| ¼ | CUP CURRANTS, EITHER RED OR BLACK |
| 1 | VANILLA BEAN, SPLIT IN HALF LENGTHWISE |
| 3 or 4 | CLOVES |
Cut a small slice off the bottoms of the pears, so they can stand upright. In a large saucepan off the heat, arrange the pears, and pour the lemon juice and then the wine over them. Sprinkle on the sugar. Add the currants, vanilla bean, and cloves to the wine. Turn the heat to medium to bring the wine to a simmer.
Cover the saucepan and maintain the simmer for 15 minutes (or longer, depending on the size and ripeness of the pears). Midway, turn the pears on their sides and baste several times with the wine. When they are rosy and still slightly firm, transfer them to serving dishes. Discard the cloves and vanilla bean. Pour some wine syrup and currants over each pear, and garnish with thin strips of lemon peel.
Ed watched Giusi make these tulip-shaped cookie shells, tulipani, for a party. She filled them with strawberries and cream. The next day he surprised me by making them himself—his first venture into pastry. Peaches, pears, or raspberries work just as well. Maybe there is a prettier dessert, but I don’t know of one.
With any leftover batter, bake crisp, silver-dollar–size cookies, adding a few sliced almonds to each.
SERVES 8
FOR THE TULIP SHELLS
| 1 | CUP (2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER |
| 1¾ | CUPS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR |
| 4 | EGG WHITES |
| 1¾ | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
FOR THE FILLING
| 4 | CUPS MIXED BLACKBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, AND STRAWBERRIES |
| 4 | TABLESPOONS SUPERFINE OR LIGHT BROWN SUGAR |
| ¾ | CUP HEAVY CREAM, WHIPPED |
| 5 | TABLESPOONS GRANULATED SUGAR |
| ¾ | CUP (6 OUNCES) MASCARPONE |
| STRIPS OF LEMON OR ORANGE PEEL, FOR GARNISH |
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the tulip shells. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, and stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Whisk in the egg whites. Add the flour and beat until the batter forms ribbons, about 2 minutes. On a large baking sheet, butter four 7-inch circles. Spoon ¼ cup of the batter onto each circle, and with the back of the spoon, spread it evenly, covering the circle. It will look like a crêpe. Bake for 10 minutes, until slightly browned around the edges and pale gold in the middle.
Gingerly lift off a circle with a spatula. Immediately place it on a dishtowel that you’re holding in your hand. With care, place the bottom of a 3-inch-diameter glass into the center of the circle, gently pressing down your fingers to mold the tulip. After 30 seconds, the tulip will harden enough to handle. Repeat with the rest of the circles, setting them aside to cool. Allow the pan to cool before baking your second batch, or use a different sheet. Repeat the process to make the remaining 4 tulipani. When all the tulipani are completely cool, put them on a platter and cover with plastic wrap, otherwise they will become soft. (They will keep for two days this way.)
Make the filling. In a small bowl, mix the berries with the superfine or brown sugar. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form, sweetening it as you whisk with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. With a wooden spoon, beat in the mascarpone with the remaining granulated sugar. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons into each tulip and top with the fruit. Garnish with a dollop of the mascarpone and the citrus peel.
This looks like what the angels eat, and the taste is unctuous and luxurious.
Those angels might also pour some liquid orange blossoms—Conte Emo Capodilista, Donna Daria Fior d’Arancio Passito.
SERVES 6
FOR THE FILLING
| 1 | CUP (8 OUNCES) MASCARPONE |
| JUICE OF ½ LEMON | |
| ¼ | CUP HEAVY CREAM |
| ¼ | CUP SUPERFINE SUGAR |
| ½ | CUP SLICED ALMONDS, TOASTED AND COOLED |
| 1½ | CUPS CRUSHED ALMOND COOKIES, SUCH AS AMARETTI |
| 1 | CUP WHITE WINE OR PROSECCO |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS SUGAR |
| 6 | LARGE PEACHES, PREFERABLY WHITE, RIPE BUT FIRM, PEELED, HALVED, AND PITTED |
| MINT LEAVES, FOR GARNISH |
In a bowl, mix all the filling ingredients and chill for 30 minutes.
Bring the wine and sugar to a boil in a 12-inch skillet, and then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the peaches and poach them for 3 to 4 minutes, frequently spooning liquid over them. Remove peaches from the liquid and let them cool, reserving the liquid.
Spoon mascarpone mixture into the centers of 6 of the peach halves, and then cover with the other halves. Spoon poaching liquid over each. Garnish with mint.
No wine cupboard in Tuscany lacks a bottle of vin santo, sacred wine. One of Italy’s best is made at Avignonesi, just outside Cortona. Traditionally sipped with cantucci, vin santo also adds to desserts a nutty depth of flavor, as in this instant summery treat.
SERVES 8
| 8 | RIPE, FIRM PEACHES, PEELED, PITTED, AND QUARTERED |
| JUICE OF 1 LEMON | |
| A FEW GRATINGS OF NUTMEG | |
| ½ | CUP VIN SANTO |
| 1 | CUP SUPERFINE SUGAR |
| 2 | PINTS ALMOND, HAZELNUT, OR VANILLA ICE CREAM, SLIGHTLY SOFTENED |
In a medium bowl, toss the peaches with the lemon juice, nutmeg, and vin santo. Melt the sugar in a large cast-iron pan over low heat, stirring it until it turns tawny. Add the peaches. Raise the heat to medium low, and stirring gently, cook the peaches for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Cool the inebriated fruit until ready to serve.
In glass dessert bowls, layer the ice cream and peaches.
I’m surprised that the knotty little apples I find at the Saturday market have intense flavor. Even our long-neglected apple trees bravely put forth their scrawny crop. Too tiny to slice, they at least make a respectable apple butter. For this husky dessert, cut good, hard apples into chunky slices. Use a loaf of day-old country bread; fresh bread would be too soft.
Gone are the days when red and yellow Delicious ruled our choices in the United States. At my market in North Carolina, I can select from a dozen varieties. Granny Smith is still a good choice for baking, but try these new old flavors: Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Empire, or Arkansas Black.
Serve this with gelato, if you prefer.
SERVES 10
| 5 | CRISP BAKING APPLES |
| JUICE OF 2 LEMONS | |
| A FEW GRATINGS OF NUTMEG | |
| ¾ | CUP SUGAR |
| 12 | TABLESPOONS (1½ STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE PAN |
| 1 | CUP WALNUTS, TOASTED AND COARSELY CHOPPED |
| ¼ | CUP APPLE CIDER OR WATER |
| 1 | LOAF LEFTOVER BREAD, ANY HARD CRUSTS REMOVED, CUT INTO 1½-INCH CUBES |
| 4 | EGGS |
| 1¼ | CUPS WHOLE MILK |
| 1 | CUP LIGHT CREAM |
| SWEETENED MASCARPONE |
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking pan.
Peel, core, and cut the apples into large slices. Place them in a large bowl, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over them, dust with the nutmeg, and toss with 3 tablespoons of sugar.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. In a large bowl, combine half of the butter and ¼ cup of the sugar. Mix in ¾ cup of the walnuts, the juice of the other lemon, and the cider or water. Combine this with the apple chunks and the bread cubes. Pour the apple and bread mixture into the baking dish.
In a medium bowl, beat together the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and ¼ cup of the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, then the milk and cream. Pour evenly over the apples and bread. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, some nutmeg, and the remaining ¼ cup walnuts. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the bread and nuts are toasty and golden. Taste to make sure the apples are cooked. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Serve warm with sweetened mascarpone.
Frolla means “friable.” The origin is from the Latin friabilis, “to crumble.” Use this crust when you want a texture similar to shortbread. Pasta frolla is always used for a crostata. I like it for lemon and fruit tarts and for the classic Torta della Nonna, grandmother’s tarts.
Any leftover dough can be baked as cookies with a couple of pine nuts on each, or with a dab of jam on top.
MAKES ONE 10- TO 12-INCH PIECRUST PLUS DOUGH FOR LATTICE TOP
| 2¼ | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, SIFTED, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR PREPARATION |
| ½ | CUP SUGAR PINCH OF SALT |
| 8 | TABLESPOONS (1 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE |
| 1 | WHOLE EGG PLUS 1 YOLK, LIGHTLY BEATEN |
| ZEST OF 1 LEMON |
Mound the flour, sugar, and salt on a work surface. Make a well, with the butter and eggs in the center. With your hands or two forks, blend in the butter and eggs until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the zest. Knead, forming a soft dough. If you use a food processor, the butter should be cold and cut in bits. Pulse together the butter, sugar, and salt. Add the eggs and lemon zest, pulse 1 to 2 times, and then add the flour ½ cup at a time, pulsing, just to blend, until the dough forms.
Form the dough into a disk, pat it with flour, and wrap it with a damp dishtowel. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Flour a cool surface, divide the dough in half, and roll out a circle of dough to fit your pie plate. Flip the pastry over the rolling pin and into the pie plate. Or simply press the pastry into the pan with your fingers. Use leftover disk of dough for a lattice top, or form a long twisted coil to fit around the rim. Crimp the edges or press them with fork tines.
For a folded, rustic tart, Apple in a Cage, or anything savory, this is the crust to choose. It’s tender and buttery, but not at all fragile. I find that two tablespoons of water is usually enough, but for some flours, or on a humid day, you might need a little less or more.
MAKES ONE 10- TO 12-INCH PIECRUST
| 1½ | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR PREPARATION |
| ¼ | TEASPOON SALT |
| 4 | TABLESPOONS SUGAR (OMIT FOR A SAVORY CRUST) |
| 12 | TABLESPOONS (1½ STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE |
| 1 | LARGE EGG, BEATEN |
| 2 to 4 | TABLESPOONS COLD WATER |
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl or mound them on a work surface. Work in the butter and egg with a fork until the mixture takes on the look of breadcrumbs. Add cold water if needed to form a soft dough. Or, with a food processor and using cold butter cut in bits, follow the same order, pulsing just enough to mix in each ingredient. When a mass begins to develop, remove the dough.
Form the dough into a disk, pat it with some flour, and wrap it in a damp dishtowel. Chill for at least an hour.
Generously flour a cool surface and roll out a circle of pastry to fit your pie plate. Flip the pastry over the rolling pin into the pie plate. Crimp the edges together to make it pretty. Chill again while you make the filling.
FOLDED FRUIT TART with MASCARPONE
I first learned to make folded piecrusts long ago from a Paula Wolfert cookbook. On a cookie sheet, you spread the crust, pile the filling in the middle, and then loosely flap the edges toward the center, forming a rustic tart with a spontaneous look.
Florio Malvasia delle Lipari, made by Duca di Salaparuta, will provide the right accent for the tastes of almonds and peaches.
SERVES 6
| FLAKY PASTRY (OPPOSITE) | |
| 1 | CUP (8 OUNCES) MASCARPONE |
| ¼ | CUP SUGAR |
| 12 | MINT LEAVES, TORN |
| ¼ | CUP SLICED ALMONDS, TOASTED |
| 6 | LARGE PEACHES, PEELED, PITTED, AND SLICED INTO EIGHTHS |
| 4 | TABLESPOONS (½ STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, IN PIECES |
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a generously floured surface, roll out the crust 3 inches larger in diameter than you normally do for a pie plate. Flip it over the rolling pin, and slide it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone, sugar, mint, and almonds. Fold the peaches in very gently. Pile the mixture into the center of the pastry, dot the peaches with butter, and flop the edges of the crust over, pressing them down a bit into the fruit. Don’t seal the top—leave a 4- or 5-inch hole. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the peaches have softened.
Silvia’s ricotta torta often appears on the menu at Il Falconiere. A magnificent dessert for a holiday dinner, it compares to cheesecake as the waltz to the tango. You can enhance the torta with golden raisins plumped in grappa or cognac; lightly toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts; dried cherries plumped in vin santo; or some slivers of fine-quality candied citron. I use a fluted French-style tart pan with a removable bottom.
SERVES 8
FOR THE PASTRY
| ½ | CUP (1 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED |
| ¼ | CUP SUGAR |
| 1 | EGG |
| 1¾ | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, SIFTED |
| ¾ | PINCH OF SALT |
| ½ | TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON |
FOR THE FILLING
| 2 | CUPS WHOLE MILK |
| ZEST OF 1 LEMON OR ORANGE | |
| 4 | EGGS |
| ⅔ | CUP SUGAR |
| pinch of salt | |
| 1 | TABLESPOON FLOUR |
| 2 | CUPS (1 POUND) FRESH RICOTTA, PREFERABLY FROM SHEEP OR GOAT MILK |
| 1 | TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT |
Make the pastry. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of the flour, the salt, and cinnamon, stirring to combine well. Sprinkle in the rest of the flour, and mix until the dough is easy to handle. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead briefly. The dough will be very soft. Shape it into a round disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the filling. In the bottom of a double boiler, bring water to a boil and then turn the heat down to a good simmer. Put the milk in the top of the double boiler with the zest, and heat thoroughly; do not let it boil. Set aside.
Combine 3 of the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until a thick ribbon forms. Incorporate the salt and the flour. Add a small amount of the milk into the egg mixture to temper it, then slowly beat the egg mixture into the milk. Cook it over the simmering water, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until it is thicker than heavy cream but not as thick as sour cream. Remove from the heat; pour it into the bowl to cool.
Roll out the dough to fit a 12-inch tart pan. Line the pan and prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove it from the oven.
In a small bowl, whip the ricotta with a fork. Fold it into the filling. Mix well, and then stir in the remaining egg and the vanilla. Beat thoroughly. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry shell. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the filling is firmly set.
Grandmother’s tart—homey but rich. Pinoli—pine nuts—are essential. Once I garnered my own from the pine trees lining our driveway. Blackened fingers and several broken nails later, I decided that particular sustainable practice would have to go. This is a lovely, simple dessert, one that spells Tuscany.
SERVES 8 TO 10
FOR THE FILLING
| ⅓ | CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| 1½ | TEASPOONS CORNSTARCH |
| 2½ | CUPS WHOLE MILK |
| 4 | EGG YOLKS, BEATEN |
| ⅔ | CUP GRANULATED SUGAR |
| 2⁄ | ZEST AND JUICE OF 1 LEMON |
| 1 | TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT |
FOR THE TORTA
| PASTA FROLLA, CHILLED | |
| 1 | TEASPOON POLENTA |
| ⅓ | CUP PINE NUTS, LIGHTLY TOASTED |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR |
Make the filling. Sift the flour and cornstarch into a small bowl. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, egg yolks, granulated sugar, and zest. Over medium heat, stir for 5 to 8 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Turn the heat to medium low, and slowly add the flour and cornstarch, whisking all along. When it becomes a very thick and creamy custard, about 2 minutes, stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Remove from the heat, set aside, and allow to cool while you prepare the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Divide the chilled dough in half and, on a well-floured surface, roll out one half to fit a 10-inch tart pan. Keep the other half of the dough covered and chilled. Sprinkle half of the polenta into the bottom of the crust. Pour in the filling, then roll out the other circle of dough to cover, and crimp it around the overlapping edges. Press the pine nuts into the dough and sprinkle with the remaining polenta. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the crust and nuts are bronzed. Remove the torta and let it rest for 5 minutes before sifting the confectioners’ sugar over the top. Serve warm.
Ivan’s Big BLACKBERRY CROSTATA
We once wondered why you see so many jars of fruit preserves in Italy, a country that doesn’t have a toast-and-jam breakfast culture. We learned the jars of apricot, blackberry, raspberry, quince, fig, and plum are for crostata, that default, hands-down number one dessert of Tuscany. Ivan gathers wild blackberries in early September, and makes the jam. His jewel-colored jams seem to contain summer. We serve his fig jam with cheeses and his quince jam with roasts.
For pastry and pasta, Ivan, like almost all Tuscan cooks, uses a spianatoia, a 2 × 3-foot board, with a lip that keeps it steady on the counter.
His pasta frolla is a little different from Gilda’s (this page). Use any fruit jam with a homemade texture. It’s best to make this by hand because of the quantities.
SERVES 12 TO 14
| 3 | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS EXTRA FOR THE WORK SURFACE |
| 1 | EGG AND 2 EGG YOLKS |
| ¾ | CUP SUGAR |
| 12 | TABLESPOONS (1½ STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE BAKING DISH |
| ZEST OF 1 LEMON | |
| 3 | TABLESPOONS VIN SANTO |
| ¼ | TEASPOON SALT |
| 2 | CUPS BLACKBERRY JAM |
Mound the flour in a large bowl or on a countertop. Make a well in the center and drop in the eggs and sugar. Start to work the mixture with your fingers or a fork, then add small bits of the butter, the lemon zest, wine, and salt, blending everything. On a floured surface, form the pastry into 2 disks—using about ¾ of the dough in one—and allow it to rest in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp cloth, for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Working quickly, roll out the large disk of dough and fit it into a 12- to 14-inch pan with low sides. Spread the blackberry jam over the pastry. Roll out the rest of the dough, cut it into ½-inch strips, and make a lattice over the jam. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The pastry will look toasty.
Mele in Gabbia—the apple is sweetly imprisoned in a crossover cage of pastry, a playful dessert that is as much fun to see as to taste. Choose baking apples, such as Granny Smiths or Rome.
SERVES 8
| 1 | CUP WALNUT HALVES, GROUND |
| ½ | CUP PLUS 2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR |
| 3 | TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED, PLUS 2 TABLESPOONS MELTED |
| 1 | TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON |
| 8 | BAKING APPLES, PEELED AND CORED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, FOR THE WORK SURFACE |
| FLAKY PASTRY) RECIPE DOUBLED) | |
| 8 | CLOVES |
| 1 | CUP HEAVY CREAM |
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, ½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons softened butter, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Fill each apple core with 3 tablespoons of the mixture.
On a generously floured surface, roll out the pastry and cut 3-inch-wide strips that are long enough to wrap around the apples, about 8 inches. Using two strips of pastry, cross them to make an X for each apple. Place the apple upside down in the center and fold the pastry around it. Press the pastry snugly to the apple. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the apples upright, so that the foldover seam of the pastry is on the bottom. Press a clove into the top of each for beauty’s sake. Chill 30 minutes.
Brush the pastry with the melted butter and bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is crusty and browned and the apples are softened.
Meanwhile, whip the cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Serve the hot apples immediately and pass the cream.
This lavish roulade makes me happy. When I see it, I remember all the fabulous pastry shops in Palermo with their windows filled with candied citron, glacéed fruit, marzipan, and fanciful cakes. Because the rosy roulade looks festive, I love to carry it to the table, anticipating the “ahs” that will ensue.
SERVES 8
FOR THE CAKE
| ¾ | CUP SUPERFINE SUGAR |
| JUICE AND ZEST OF 1 LEMON | |
| 3 | EGGS, SEPARATED |
| ¾ | CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| 2 | TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER |
| 1⁄8 | TEASPOON SALT |
| 1⁄8 | TEASPOON CREAM OF TARTAR BUTTER FOR THE BAKING PAN |
| 1⁄ | BUTTER FOR THE BAKING PAN |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR |
FOR THE FILLING
| 2 | CUPS FRESH RASPBERRIES |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS SUPERFINE SUGAR |
| 2 | CUPS HEAVY CREAM |
| ¼ | CUP SLICED ALMONDS, TOASTED |
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Make the cake. In a large bowl or food processor, mix well the superfine sugar and zest. Add the yolks one at a time and beat or pulse until the egg mixture is pale and light. Stir in the lemon juice. Sift the flour and baking powder into a small bowl and then whisk or pulse them, a third at a time, into the sugar and eggs. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until they form stiff waves. In fourths, fold them into the yolk mixture, pulsing only once or twice if you’re using the processor.
Butter a 17 × 13-inch pan with low sides and line it with parchment, buttering that as well. Spread the batter evenly—it will be somewhat thin—and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and just set. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes.
Invert the pan onto a sheet of parchment (or a dishtowel) sprinkled with half of the confectioners’ sugar. Peel back the top parchment and sift the remaining confectioners’ sugar onto the cake.
While the cake is in the oven, make the berry filling. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook ½ cup of the raspberries with 1 tablespoon of the sugar for about 5 minutes, pressing the berries with a spoon so that they release their juices. Press the berries and their juices through a strainer. Set aside, discarding the pulp.
In a large bowl, whip the cream, adding the remaining tablespoon of superfine sugar gradually. The cream should hold a peak. Divide the whipped cream in half. Into one half, fold the berry liquid and the remaining 1½ cups of raspberries. Spread this on top of the cake, smoothing it to the edges of the long sides and to 1 inch from the edges on the short side. Lifting the cake by the parchment or dishtowel, slowly roll the narrow end forward. With two spatulas, transfer the roulade to a serving plate. Spread over the top the remaining whipped cream and scatter on the almonds.
Serve the roulade right away, or it can wait 2 or 3 hours in the fridge. To cover it with plastic wrap, stand up four or five tall toothpicks or skewers in the cake so the wrap doesn’t touch the cream.
Figs grow all over the Mediterranean world, wild on hillsides, cultivated in gardens, and volunteering through cracks in dusty parking lots. When they’re ripe, there’s a plethora of figs. Wrap them with prosciutto, put up fig preserves, serve them with cheeses, roast figs with duck, stuff them with crushed amaretti cookies and mascarpone—and still there are figs. But they’re ephemeral: suddenly they are gone for another year. Carpe diem—seize the day and try them in the homey but elegant form of this tart.
SERVES 10
| PASTA FROLLA | |
| 10 | LARGE FRESH FIGS, HALVED |
| EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, FOR THE BAKING SHEET | |
| 6 | TABLESPOONS HONEY (JASMINE OR LAVENDER, IF AVAILABLE) |
| 5 | TABLESPOONS SUGAR |
| 1 | CUP WALNUT HALVES, TOASTED AND HALVED AGAIN |
| ½ | CUP HEAVY CREAM |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| ¼ | TEASPOON FRESH THYME LEAVES OR 1⁄8 TEASPOON DRIED |
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the pastry in a 10- or 12-inch pie plate, trim the edges, pierce it all around with fork tines, and pre-bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Raise the oven control to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and oil the paper. Arrange the figs on the paper and drizzle 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of sugar over them. Broil 2 to 4 minutes. Let the figs sizzle a moment, slightly caramelizing them. Don’t let the sugar brown—just melt. Remove them from the oven and turn down the oven temperature to 350°F.
In a small pan over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add the walnus and toss just to coat them, about 1 minute. Take care: sugar can so easily turn rock hard. Remove the walnuts to a plate to cool.
Place the figs cut side up in the piecrust and arrange the nuts evenly over them. In a small bowl, mix well the cream, remaining ¼ cup honey, the flour, thyme, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Spoon evenly over the figs. Bake 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is warmly browned.
Massimo and Daniela preside over Bar Tuscher in a venerable palazzo in Cortona. All the expats in town are lured by their house-made desserts and the intimate tables, so perfect for a private conversation away from the piazza. When I walk into town in the mornings, I’m assured of a quiet spot for writing in my notebook. Although I’m torn between their warm cornetti filled with berries and this tender vin santo–scented cake, the cake usually wins.
SERVES 8
| 1 | CUP (2 STICKS) PLUS 5 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE PAN |
| 1⅓ | CUPS SUGAR |
| 1⅓ | CUPS (11 OUNCES) WHOLE-MILK RICOTTA |
| 3 | EGGS |
| ⅓ | CUP VIN SANTO |
| 1⅓ | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE PAN |
| 2 | TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS PINE NUTS, TOASTED |
| 1 to 2 | TABLESPOONS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR |
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a nonstick 9-inch springform tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and ricotta until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then incorporate the vin santo. Sift the flour and baking powder into a small bowl, then slowly and thoroughly beat them into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle the pine nuts on top, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm but springy to the touch and a promising aroma fills the kitchen. Cool before removing the cake from the pan. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top.
These cookies are sold in the United States as “biscotti,” but biscotti just means “cookies.” The particular name is cantucci. The primo biscotto in Italy, cantucci traditionally are served with vin santo. Both in Italy and the United States, they can be tooth-cracking hard, and no wonder: they’ve been trapped in cellophane for months. They do keep well but are not immortal. Fresh cantucci are nutty, crunchy but yielding, and with a faint tang of lemon.
MAKES 50 TO 55 COOKIES
| 12 | TABLESPOONS (1½ STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE COOKIE SHEETS |
| 3 | EGGS, BEATEN, PLUS 1 BEATEN YOLK FOR A WASH ZEST OF 1 LEMON |
| 1 | TABLESPOON FENNEL SEEDS |
| 2 | CUPS SUGAR |
| 4 | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| 4 | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR |
| PINCH OF SALT | |
| 2 | CUPS SLICED ALMONDS |
In a large bowl, mix well the butter, 3 eggs, zest, fennel seeds, and sugar. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a sifter and sift about ½ cup at a time into the butter mixture, blending well before adding more. Mix in the almonds.
Slightly knead the dough with your hands until it comes together. Form the dough into two logs no more than 2 inches wide. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter two parchment-lined cookie sheets.
Place the logs on one sheet. Brush each with some of the beaten yolk for browning. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the logs to a work surface, and let them rest for 10 minutes. Slice them into cookies ½ inch thick. Arrange them on the two sheets, and return them to the oven for 5 to 7 more minutes, or until they are cooked through in the middle. Serve warm, or cool and store in tight-lidded tins. Don’t overbake—you don’t want those tooth-breakers.
With this dessert, Silvia suggests a full-bodied sweet red wine with enough alcohol to “clean your mouth.” Most wonderful with chocolate is Duca Di Salaparuta, Ala Liquorvino Amarascato, a velvety, wild-cherry–based dessert wine with a hint of almonds.
SERVES 10
| 1 | CUP (2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE RAMEKINS |
| 1 | CUP SUPERFINE SUGAR |
| 4 | EGGS |
| 3 | TABLESPOONS RUM (OR TIA MARIA) |
| 2 | TABLESPOONS ESPRESSO OR STRONG COFFEE |
| ¾ | CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE RAMEKINS |
| 1 | TABLESPOON PLUS 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER |
| ½ | CUP HIGH-QUALITY UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER |
| 4 | FIRM BUT RIPE PEARS, PEELED, CORED, AND DICED |
FOR THE VANILLA SAUCE
| 1 | QUART HEAVY CREAM |
| ½ | VANILLA BEAN, SPLIT |
| 8 | EGG YOLKS |
| 5 | TABLESPOONS SUPERFINE SUGAR |
| SOLID CHOCOLATE BAR FOR MAKING CURLS, OR CHOCOLATE-COVERED COFFEE BEANS |
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Butter and flour ten 3½-inch ramekins and set aside. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar to a soft cream. Beat in the 4 eggs one at a time. Stir in the rum and coffee. Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa together in a separate small bowl, and then in fourths, incorporate this into the batter.
Gently fold in the pears. Pour into the ramekins, filling each halfway. Place the ramekins in a 13 × 15-inch baking dish or whatever size your oven accommodates. Fill the dish halfway with boiling water. Bake the cakes for 10 minutes, then increase the temperature to 350°F and continue baking until set, about 15 minutes more.
Make the vanilla sauce. In a heavy 2- or 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream and vanilla bean almost to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Quickly reduce the heat to medium low. In a small bowl, thoroughly beat together the yolks and sugar. Whisk the eggs into the cream and continue cooking on low heat, stirring continuously, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture has the consistency of whipped cream. Remove the vanilla. The sauce can rest in the fridge; if you’re serving it later, gently reheat.
Unmold the ramekins onto individual plates, or serve the cakes in the ramekins. Spoon warm vanilla sauce over the tops, and garnish with curls of chocolate (made with a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer) or chocolate-covered coffee beans.
All through June we buy sweet-tart cherries by the kilo and start eating them in the car on the way home. Almost nothing you can invent improves on the taste of a ripe, plump cherry. We’ve planted eight trees, but the birds are willing to eat them about a week before they’re ripe, leaving us half-pecked fruit. I tried hanging old CDs from the branches, hoping the glitter would scare the birds away. Instead, they seem attracted to the flashes, darting even faster among the branches, and screeching with excitement.
With these, I like to serve thin slices of lemon cake (see photograph).
SERVES 4
| 1½ | CUPS RED WINE |
| 1 | POUND CHERRIES, PITTED ZEST OF 1 LEMON |
| 1 | TABLESPOON SUGAR SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM |
| or SWEETENED MASCARPONE |
In a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil, and then add the cherries, lemon zest, and sugar. Reduce the heat immediately to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover the cherries and let them stand for 2 or 3 hours. Serve in bowls with plenty of the wine juice and a dollop of the whipped cream or mascarpone.
SWEETENED MASCARPONE
An alternative to whipped cream, sweetened mascarpone adds a grace note of complexity to fruits. The tangy sweetness of mascarpone, sugar, and cream also suits many tarts and cakes. It’s quicker than, and not as sweet as, whipped cream, and can be made several hours ahead.
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
| 1 | CUP (8 OUNCES) MASCARPONE |
| ½ | CUP HEAVY CREAM |
| 4 | TABLESPOONS SUGAR |
| ZEST OF 1 LEMON OR ORANGE (OPTIONAL) |
In a small bowl, mix everything with a fork until smooth.
LEMON CAKE with CHERRIES STEEPED in RED WINE
A family import, this Southern cake is one I serve poolside in Tuscany with gelato and fireside with glasses of Barolo Chinato, or, privately, for breakfast. Slender slices seem at home with Lemon Hazelnut Gelato or Cherries Steeped in Red Wine.
SERVES 16
| 1 | CUP (2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, ROOM TEMPERATURE, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE PAN |
| 2 | CUPS SUGAR |
| 3 | EGGS |
| 3 | CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR THE PAN |
| 1 | TEASPOON BAKING POWDER |
| ¼ | TEASPOON SALT |
| 1 | CUP BUTTERMILK, OR LIGHT CREAM PLUS 1 TABLESPOON LEMON JUICE |
| 3 | TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE, PLUS ZEST OF 1 LEMON |
FOR THE GLAZE AND GARNISH
| 1½ | CUPS CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR, SIFTED |
| 4 | TABLESPOONS (½ STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED |
| 3 | TABLESPOONS LEMON JUICE |
| TINY CURLS OF LEMON PEEL |
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a nonstick 10-inch tube or Bundt pan, then lightly flour it.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time; the mixture should be pale and light. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Incorporate the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in the lemon juice and zest. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is firm but springy to the touch.
Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar into the butter and lemon juice. Mix until supple and spreadable. Smooth it over the cooled cake, and decorate with the lemon peel.
