Mediterranean Summer (37 page)

Macedonia di Frutte Fresche con Sciroppo di Limoncello

MAKES 8 DESSERT SERVINGS

By consensus, Italy’s best-known fruit salad is named after the country of Macedonia, the first province of the Roman Empire, as a dedication to the many different people who have inhabited its territory throughout history. The mixture of fruits given here is a suggestion for choosing the best the season has to offer. Limoncello, the ubiquitous southern Italian
digestivo
made by infusing a clear liquor, sugar, and lemon peel, is the inspiration for this very refreshing syrup.

For the Syrup:

¼ cup water

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon grappa

½ cup sugar

Strips of peel from ½ lemon

For the Fruit Salad:

2 large (about 1¼ pounds) white peaches

2 large (about 1 pound) nectarines

3 large (about 1 pound) plums

4 to 6 (about ¾ pound) apricots

1 pint strawberries, washed, stemmed, and cored

½ pint blueberries

To make the syrup, heat the water and grappa in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add the lemon peel. When the liquid comes to a boil, lower the heat to produce a slow, even boil and cook for a few minutes. Cool. Cover and keep refrigerated. The syrup can be held for up to a week.

To make the fruit salad, minimal handling of each fruit is important so as not to bruise since they will be mixed together when the syrup is added and will make for a better presentation. Cut the peaches and nectarines to remove the pits, then cut into ¾-inch pieces. Cut the plums and apricots to remove the pits, then cut into thin wedges. Halve or quarter the strawberries, depending on their size. Place the blueberries on top. Cover and keep refrigerated up to 3 hours before serving.

For serving, take the fruit out of the refrigerator an hour before serving. Just before serving, remove the lemon peel from the syrup and pour over the fruit. Toss gently to coat the fruit with syrup. Serve cold.

Baked Stone Fruit with Sweetened Ricotta and Crushed Amaretti Cookies

Frutte al Forno con Ricotta Dolce e Biscotti Rotti

MAKES 8 DESSERT SERVINGS

Except for the fruit, all of the ingredients can be in the pantry, leaving the trip to the market for finding what’s best in summer. The fruit looks beautiful when baked, and if you’re using oven-to-table baking dishes, this is a nice addition to a dessert buffet. This method is great in winter with baking pears like Bosc. Instead of the amaretti cookies, a little freshly grated nutmeg is a pleasant alternative.

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons dark rum

One 15-ounce container ricotta cheese

8 (about 3½ pounds) nectarines or peaches, slightly underripe

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft but not melted

¹
/
₃
cup sugar

8 to 10 amaretti cookies

To prepare the ricotta, pour a cup of boiling water over the raisins in a small bowl. Set aside. When cool, drain the raisins. Whip the cream with the honey and the rum until it starts to thicken. Fold the ricotta into the cream, then continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Stir in the raisins. Keep refrigerated until serving time. The ricotta mixture can be made up to a day in advance.

To bake the fruit, place an oven rack on the lowest level and preheat the broiler. Cut the nectarines in half, remove the pit, then cut into quarters. Lightly butter 1 or 2 baking dishes large enough to hold the fruit in a single layer cut side up. Brush a little butter over the cut surface and pit cavity of each piece of fruit. Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer over the same surface. The butter will help keep the sugar on the fruit. Bake under the broiler until the butter and sugar caramelize and the fruit starts to become tender, about 12 minutes. Set aside.

To serve, place 4 pieces of fruit in a dessert or shallow bowl. Spoon a dollop of the ricotta over the fruit. Add crushed pieces of the cookies over the ricotta.

Chef’s Tip:
For a nice addition, reduce a cup of inexpensive balsamic vinegar by half in a small nonreactive saucepan. Set aside to cool. Drizzle on or around the fruit just before serving.

Wine Recommendation:
A unique Tuscan sweet white wine from Montalcino, Moscadello di Montalcino from Col d’Orcia or Capanna

Chocolate Capri Cake

Torta di Cioccolato Caprese

MAKES 10 DESSERT SERVINGS

On the island of Capri, I saw in the pastry shops a cake called
torta caprese—
a chocolate and almond cake that looked flourless—but finding a recipe proved difficult. I adapted the chocolate
torta
recipe from Albergo del Sole and created a new one by incorporating homemade almond flour. This nice addition to the repertoire is easy to make and is a great go-to recipe. Because the technique is very much like making a soufflé, it has a light, airy, and moist texture that is not shy in flavor. With the espresso
crema,
the flavor pairing is
ottimo
(optimal)!

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, plus a little more for the cake pan

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate

½ cup (3 ounces) whole almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Whipped Mascarpone Cream (Recipes), made with 2 tablespoons strong brewed espresso in place of rum

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line the base with a circle of parchment paper. Butter the paper.

Place the butter and the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave and melt, stirring to combine. Cool and set aside. Grind the almonds with the flour to a flourlike consistency in a food processor. Set aside. Beat the egg yolks with the granulated sugar on high speed until light yellow and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the almond flour until just incorporated. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks in a separate bowl, then carefully fold them into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry. Cool completely on a wire rack. Invert the cake from the pan to a plate, carefully remove the parchment circle, then invert back onto a serving plate. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar.

To cut the torta, run a long, thin knife under hot water. Shake off the excess water, keeping the blade clean for each slice. Serve with a dollop of the espresso
crema
on the side.

Entertaining Note:
The
torta
can be made up to a day in advance. Keep it in the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Store at room temperature. Add the confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Wine Recommendation:
Small-production dessert wines from the island of Lipari, such as Malvasia delle Lipari from Hauner, or from the island of Elba, a sweet red Aleatico dell’Elba from Acquabuona

Whipped Mascarpone Cream

Crema di Mascarpone

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

This luscious and elegant blend of sweetened mascarpone cheese with whipped egg whites was served with the
torta sabbiosa—
sand cake—at Albergo del Sole near Milan. It’s great with baked, poached, or fresh seasonal fruit, berries, and tarts. Instead of the rum, try it with other liquors like cognac or grappa. Or replace the liquor with 2 tablespoons of strong espresso. A little nutmeg or orange zest grated into it is divine too.

3 large egg yolks (see Note)

¼ cup sugar

One 250-gram container (about 9 ounces) Italian mascarpone

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 large egg whites at room temperature

¹
/
₈
teaspoon cream of tartar

¹
/
₈
teaspoon fine sea salt

Beat the yolks and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light yellow and ribbons fall from the beaters when they are lifted up. Add the mascarpone and rum. Mix at low speed and blend until smooth, then at high speed until soft peaks form.

Using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites in another bowl on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt, then continue to beat, increasing the speed in increments, until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the mascarpone mixture. Keep refrigerated.

The
crema
can be made 3 to 4 hours before serving. If it separates a little bit by becoming thin on the bottom and still fluffy on the top, give it a gentle stir to make it smooth throughout before serving.

Note:
This recipe contains raw eggs. People with health problems, the elderly, or those who are pregnant should avoid consuming foods with uncooked eggs, which, in rare cases, carry the potential for Salmonella infections.

Very Rich Cooked Cream

Panna Cotta

MAKES 8 DESSERT SERVINGS

There’s custard, flan, pudding, and then there’s
panna cotta,
one of the mainstays of the Italian dessert repertoire. Even though the direct translation is “cooked cream,” it is heated only enough for the flavors to marry and for the gelatin to melt into the base. With mascarpone it becomes sublime. If you have gelatin sheets, replace the powdered gelatin in this recipe with 2 sheets. Make sure you soften them in tepid water before adding to the cream. For forming, use the classic baba molds, available at better kitchenwares stores and online. Choose the 5-ounce size and look for those with a nonstick coating since they will not react and discolor the cream.