COOKING IS FUN !

AUTUMN

Our menu• Pear Rolls• Spinach Pie• Pumpkin Rice• Pork with chestnuts• Walnuts, apples and pomegranade salad• Champignon salad • Amorpolenta

Progetto Generation Tandem 2012_2013

Pear Rolls Technical card

Ingredients

200 gr. cooked ham 250 gr. Stracchino cheese2 pears2 spoons of « grappa « liquorSalt and pepper

Category : Starters Origin : Italy

Tools

panpotknifespoonglassmixer

Recommended wine : Collio Pinot Bianco

Note: Use soft pears, better if of Williams quality

Pear Rolls

Preparation

1) Peel the pears and take the core out, grate them in flakes2) Put the grated pears into a bowl, add the cheese, the spoons of grappa,

one pinch of salt and some pepper. Stir until the mixture becomes a cream.

3) Spread out the ham slices and put the mixture on them, dividing it equally.

4) Roll up the slices, making some little roulades that you will close with a toothpick. Put them on a serving tray.

Grappa

« Grappa « is produced by distilling the remains of pressed grapes from the production of wine. The original site of this liquor seems to be the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, where the first documentation around 1400 was found. However, people know that already in the Middle Ages the inhabitants of the region of Veneto used to « lambricar «, that is to distill « the water which gives wellness and energy «.In fact, at that time, people believed that grappa could heal pneumonias and heart and digestion diseases.

Spinach PieTechnical card

Ingredients

1 Kg. spinach 1 spoonful Parmisan cheese1 roll puff pastry 1 egg + 2 yolks4 filets of anchovies 100 gr. fresh cream 5 spoonfuls of pinekernerls 50 gr. milk3 spoonfuls – grated pecorino 1 little chili peppersalt to taste

Category : Starters Origin : Italy

Tools

ovenpie dishbowlwhisktin foil

Recommended wine : Collio Pinot Bianco

Note : Cover the puff pastry with tin foil and some beans before baking it

Spinach Pie

Preparation

1) Wash and boil the spinach in some water for 5 minutes. 2) Strain and squeeze the spinach thoroughly.3) Heat the oven ( 200° C ) 4) Spread the pastry and cover a 24 cm diametre cake pan with it5) Make some little holes in the pastry with a fork and cover it with tin foil and some

beans before cooking. 6) Bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime chop the spinach and season them with grated

pecorino, anchovies and a pinch of chili and salt. 7) Take the pastry out of the oven and remove the tin foil and the beans. In a bowl beat

the eggs with a pinch of salt , add the milk, the cream and the Parmisan cheese. 8) Pour the mixture onto the spinach, add some toasted pinekernels and put the pie

into the oven ( 200°C ) for 20 more minutes.

Pinekernels

Pinekernels are not very much used but they are a quite important integrator in our diet. Pinekernels are rich in vitamins and for this reason they provide energy and are useful for the wellness of our cells and skin. They only have one negative aspect : they are full of calories !

Pumpkin RiceTechnical card

Ingredients

300 gr. rice for risotto600 gr. pumpkin100 gr. leek120 gr. red chicory1 lt vegetable stock

Category : First course Origin : Italy

Tools

panslotted spoonknifefrokwooden spoon

Recommended wine : Collio Pinot Bianco

Note : Use Mantua pumpkin, which is drier than the other ones. Use Verona chicory, which is sweeter than the Trevisan one.

Pumpkin rice

Preparation

1) Cut the pumpkin and the leek in small slices. Separate the red chicory leaves, wash them and cut them in thin slices.

2) Bring the stock with the pumpkin and the leek to boiling temperature and let it cook for 15 minutes. Then take out the pumpkin with a slotted spoon, mash it with a fork and add it to the stock again.

3) Add the rice and reduce it to a simmer. Stir frequently.4) When the rice is about ready, add the red chicory, stir and let it soften

before serving.

Pumpkin

The pumpkin is a vegetable from Mexico, where it was basic food of the natives’ diet. In fact, the first colonizers learnt from the Indians how to cultivate it. The nourishing principles of the seeds ( rich in beta-carotene ), oppose to the diseases of prostate and uric apparatus and are also good against diabetes and overweight. In the Anglosaxon countries the pumpkin is used for the realization of Jack-o’-lanterns, which are characteristic rudimental lanterns used during the Halloween night to keep out witches and ghosts.

Pork with chestnutsTechnical card

Ingredients

800 gr. pork loin80 gr. butter¼ lt milk800 gr. chestnutsa glass of cream

Category : Main course Origin : Italy

Tools

panpotknifeglassmixerwooden spoon

Recommended wine : Merlot / Cabernet

Note : You can serve the meat in slices, garnished all around with whole chestnuts

Pork with chestnuts

Preparation

1) Brown the pork loin all over in butter, salt and cover with milk2) Let it cook slowly for one and a half hour.3) Peel the chestnuts, let them boil in salted water for 30 minutes. 4) Drain the chestnuts and remove the second peel. 5) Put them into a pan, salt and cook for 15 minutes , adding the glass of

cream.6) Put the chestnuts into the mixer. Put them into a pan , add 40gr butter

and let it cook for a few minutes. 7) Serve the sliced meat with mashed chestnuts and dripping all over.

Chestnut

The chestnut tree is a deciduous tree and its bark is grey. This tree existed 10 millions years ago in Asia, Europe and North and South America. In the Middle Ages the cultivation of this tree increased in Italy and the Commons drew up laws to manage woods and forests. Chestnuts were also used in barter as exchange goods. At the end of the 15° century, with its wars and recession, chestnut flour replaced grains and cereals. The chestnut is a healthy and nutricious sort of food.Typical cakes and sweets are « castagnaccio «, « panmorone « and « marron glacés «.Chestnut honey is a great complement of cheese.

Walnuts, apples and pomegranade salad Technical card

Ingredients 1 bunch of scarola salad 300 gr. nuts2 apples1 pomegranate2 tablespoons of oila pinch of salt

Category : ComplementOrigin : Italy

Tools

bowltrencherknifenut-cracker

Recommended wine : Merlot / Cabernet

Walnuts, apples and pomegranade salad

Preparation

1) Wash the salad and chop it. 2) Shell the walnuts and cut them in halves3) Peel and chop the apples4) Hull the pomegranade5) Mix all the ingredients in a bowl 6) Taste with oil and salt

Pomegranate

The pomegranate is a variety of fruit used in several ancient propitiatory rites. Some time ago, in Sicily, on her wedding day the young bride used to hull a pomegranade and pour all the grains onto the ground to count them because they were believed to reveal how many children she would get.

Champignon saladTechnical card

Ingredients 500 gr. Champignon mushrooms3-4 cloves of garlic 100 gr, Parmesan cheese1 handful of parsley ½ glass olive oil 1 lemona pinch of salta pinch of black ground pepper

Category : ComplementOrigin : Italy

Tools

bowltrencherknifegrasterchopping knife

Recommended wine : Merlot / Cabernet

Note: Remember to take the garlic out before serving

Champignon salad

Preparation

1) Wash the salad and chop it. 2) Wash the mushrooms and cut them in slices.3) Grate the cheese in flakes.4) Prepare a dip with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic. 5) Mix all the ingredients, add the parsley and ground pepper.

Parmesan cheese

Parmesan cheese ( also called « grana « ) is a typical Italian hard cheese produced in the plain of the river Po. It is made by curdling cows’ milk.The quality of the finished product is greatly influenced by the duration of the ripening period, during which the characteristic flavour and texture develop.

Amor polentaTechnical card

Ingredients 125 gr. butter vanilla baking powder125 gr. icing sugar some salt100 gr. corn flour ( Fioretto ) 75 gr. flour 75 gr. chopped almonds2 eggs + 2 yolks

Category : DessertOrigin : Italy

Tools

bowlElectric beaterwooden spoonmixernonstick plumcake panoven

Recommended wine : white wine ( Pinot nero )

Note : The mould is grooved and gives a particular shape to the cake. It is called « mould for amor polenta «. Butter and sugar must be beaten until they become extremely creamy

Amor polenta

Preparation

1) In a bowl beat butter and icing sugar until they become a soft cream. 2) Add the eggs, yolks and butter and mix carefully.3) Add the flour, backing powder, chopped almonds , corn flour and a pinch

of salt. 4) Make a douhg with the hands and put the pastry in a plum cake pan.5) Bake it for 50 minutes in the oven ( 190° C ).6) Take the cake out of the oven and sprinkle it with icing sugar.

Polenta

Polenta is an extremely old dish made of flour of different cereals.It has several varieties in Italy and it represented the basic nourishment of some Northern regions, such as Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino, Emilia and Friuli Venezia Giulia where it is still popular. Polenta is the main ingredient of many recipes, where it is prepared and served combined with meat, tomato sauce or cheese.