Zuppa Di Cipolle~ Onion Soup
From our Villa Florentine Cooking program
Number of servings (yield): 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups Onion, sliced
- 1/3 cup Butter
- 2 Tbsp Flour
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 2 quarts Vegetable Broth
- Toasted bread croutons
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the butter over low heat and add the onions.
- Cover and allow to cook for about 30 minutes on low. Next add flour, salt and pepper and mix to dissolve the flour.
- Add the broth slowly, stirring continuously and cook for about 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut slices of bread into cubes and toast in the oven or in a pan. In each serving bowl, place the toasted bread then pour the soup over the top.
- Sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano and serve hot.
Penne Strascicate~ Penne With Meat Ragu
Number of servings (yield): 4
Ingredients
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Celery stalks
- ½ Onion
- 4 tbsp Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef & Pork (mixed together about 13 oz beef, 3 oz pork)
- 1 lb Peeled Tomatoes, pureed
- 1 tsp Tomato Concentrate (optional)
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 1 lb Penne Lisce (smooth penne, from Pastificio Fabbri Toscano, if possible)
- ½ cup Beef Stock, if needed
Instructions
- Chop the carrot, celery and onion finely.
- In a large wide pot, heat olive oil and add chopped vegetables and sauté until the onion is blonded.
- Add the ground meat and sauté until it starts to brown.
- Next add the pureed peeled tomatoes (you can use a hand blender or vegetable mill to puree the ‘pelati’) and the tomato concentrate, if desired.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and reduce heat to low.
- Cover and cook sauce for about 3 hours over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- When ready to eat, cook the pasta in boiling salted water for about ¾ of the cook time (very al dente).
- Drain and toss in a pan with the Ragu, adding a bit of beef stock if needed to dilute the sauce, and finish cooking the pasta for a minute or two with the sauce.
- Serve hot with Parmigiano Reggiano grated on top, if desired.
Torta Di Mele~ Apple Cake
Number of servings (yield): 1large cake
Ingredients
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ½ cups Sugar + 2-3 tbsp to sprinkle on top
- 4 tbsp Butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups ‘00’ Flour
- 1 tsp Vanilla or Zest of 1 Lemon, as you prefer
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- Pinch of Salt ½ cup Pine nuts
- ½ cup Raisins
- 5-6 Rennet Apples depending on size, or baking apple, peeled and sliced thin
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs with the sugar until foamy.
- Add the melted butter, flour, vanilla, baking powder and salt.
- Mix well and divide in half.
- Mix half of the dough with the pine nuts, raisins, and the slices of about 4 apples (save about 1 apple to put on top).
- Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan and pour apple mixture into the pan.
- Spread the rest of the dough on top, then top with the rest of the apple slices and sprinkle with a generous layer of sugar (a couple of tablespoons).
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about one hour.
- Use a toothpick to test if it is done, if it comes out dry it is ready.
Castagnaccio ~ Chestnut Cake
Number of servings (yield): 1large cake
Ingredients
- 500 g Chestnut flour
- ½ Glass extra-virgin olive oil
- 50 g Chopped pine nuts or walnuts
- 50 g Raisins
- Rosemary
- Grated orange rind (optional)
Instructions
- Sieve the flour and knead with warm water or milk until the dough is smooth and even.
- Add the oil, the pine nuts or walnuts and the raisins previously soaked in warm water and .
- Mix all the ingredients and pour in a baking tin greased with oil.
- Top with rosemary needles, pine nuts or walnuts, the orange rind (optional) and a drizzle of oil.
- Cook in a medium oven (150-160°C) for about an hour.