Riccarelli - delicate Tuscan almond cookies

When Mos lived in Tuscany, part of his adventures included helping at a bakery making a selection of Italian pastries, cakes, cookies and other scrumptious delights.  He even helped with the 5am deliveries to small cafes, restaurants and other establishments in the village vicinity.  Truly, only sugar could inspire him to wake at that hour…  or maybe it was the Italian macchiatos.  The following is a recipe for riccarelli, one of the bakery’s specialities, best enjoyed with a foam dolloped macchiato, milky cappuccino or a simple and noble espresso.  A small glass of vin santo or limoncello also pairs divinely but not necessarily at 5am.  Unless you haven’t yet gone to bed. 

Makes about a dozen medium cookies

6 ounces blanched ground almonds

1/3 c confectioners sugar

*optional* 1/2 tsp ground aniseed 

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 large egg whites

few drops lemon juice

3 drops almond extract

extra powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C).  Combine ground almonds, confectioners sugar and aniseed if using. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and then fold in to almond and powdered sugar blend. Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding a few drops of lemon juice and 1 tsp confectioners sugar while beating to encourage peaks to form.  Remove half the egg whites.  Fold in the almond mixture to the other half of egg whites and add the orange zest and almond extract until smooth dough forms.  It should naturally be slightly sticky but if it seems overly sticky add a tsp of flour at a time to smooth out.  Add the remaining half egg whites.  Using parchment paper, line a baking sheet.  Sprinkle a clean surface with confectioners sugar and form spoonful of dough into a small ball, rolling in the sugar, then forming in the traditional diamond shape, flattening the cookie with the palm of your hand to about an inch in thickness.

Place the cookies parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until just lightly golden in colour.  If the tops seems to be colouring too quickly, lay parchment paper over the tops until finished cooking.  Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack.  Sprinkle with a light dusting of confectioners sugar.  (If you want to make it festive, cut the parchment paper into shapes and lay on top of cookies before dusting.  Sprinkle the confectioners sugar over the cookie and parchment shape, focusing on the exposed cookie surface. Remove parchment paper and admire your work!)  Don’t forget to also put confectioners sugar on your nose and/or forehead to inspire sympathy from friends and family, and if you’re really good, one might offer to clean up…)

Zuppa di Fagiolo

As the air begins truly shifting from the heat of summer to the crispiness of autumn, a bright, but deep, soup captures the transition beautifully.  A creamy, nutritious, Tuscan white bean soup is commonly served to celebrate the olive harvest by using first pressed oil.  Though there are countless variations, the basics include beans, leafy greens, an assortment of vegetables and of course fresh herbs delicately sweated in fragrant, fruity extra virgin olive oil.  Serve with homemade focaccia or other hearty bread. 

Serves 4-6

3 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 T butter

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 leek, chopped

1/2 c chopped fresh basil

3 T chopped fresh rosemary

3 T chopped fresh thyme

3 T chopped fresh sage

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

4 whole roma tomatoes, chopped

pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 litres vegetable broth

4 c cooked cannelloni beans (or 2, 14 oz cans, drained and rinsed)

3 c spinach, escarole or kale (or any combination of green leafy vegetables), roughly chopped

salt & pepper

grated parmigiano-reggiano

In a large heavy stock pot heat the olive oil and butter under medium heat. Add garlic and heat until fragrant.  Then add leeks until only just caramelized.  Add chopped herbs and sweat everything down to a thin, creamy paste, adding olive oil or water as needed.  Add carrots and sauté in paste briefly about 3 minutes, then add zucchini, tomatoes and red pepper flakes.  Stir all together and let sauté for 5 minutes or until tomatoes have thoroughly softened.  Add just enough broth to cover vegetables and bring to a boil.  Stir and then decrease the heat to a low simmer and cook until all vegetables are tender but not mushy, between 20 to 30 minutes. Add beans and just enough broth to maintain a thick soup consistency.  Stir in green leafy vegetables and salt and pepper to taste along and more fresh herbs if desired.  Leave on low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing broth to gently simmer and all flavours to combine.  Serve hot with grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, alongside warm, fresh focaccia. 

* Alternate serving option: Place a thick slice of toasted focaccia, drizzled with olive oil, in the bottom of each soup bowl and spoon soup over the toast slices. Serve hot, with grated cheese on top. 

Honey Fig and Thyme Bruschetta

Fresh figs were on special at 19p each and I couldn’t resist the beautiful fruit jewels.  If nothing else they just make me happy to look at.  However, since one was rolled over by its neighbouring bag of carrots on the way home, I decided I should try and do something edible with them.  The following is what I attempted and, as always, measuring proportions are up for interpretation. 

2 fresh figs, peeled and mashed (preferably gently and respectfully by hand and not violently by a bag of carrots)

1.5 T honey, more or less depending on the natural sweetness of the figs

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup boiling water

*optional* 1/4 c full bodied red wine (drink the other 3/4 or give it to your non-pregnant husband with the most pathetic face you can muster)  This just deepens the flavours a bit but you can always add an extra tablespoon of balsamic vinegar instead if you like.

1.5 T olive oil

1 T butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 T fresh thyme, chopped

sea salt

crusty bread, sliced

olive oil

grated parmigiano-reggiano

Add figs, honey, balsamic vinegar, pepper, water (and wine if using) to a small saucepan, heat to boiling, then turn to low and simmer until achieving a thin jam consistency.  Adjust flavours To Taste.  While reducing fig mixture, heat olive oil and butter in small sauté pan.  Add onion, thyme and sea salt.  Heat until onions are just caramelized.  Drizzle slices of crusty bread with olive oil and then spoon on onion thyme mixture, topping with honey fig reduction and a generous sprinkle of parmigiano-reggiano.  Can be served warm or at room temperature.  Both mixtures can be made a day a head of time. 

Cinnamon Toast - The First Food Post

Where else to begin than with something that speaks of simplicity yet ecstasy, and touches on the power of food and nostalgia.  Truly, some of the meals we treasure most are not because they were gourmet, five-star creations but because they speak of a time, place and people sacredly savoured and irreplaceable. 

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When we were little, my brother and I would spend a glorious week at our grandparent’s farm, where the day was filled with sunshine, playing with our cousins, climbing apple trees, Grandpa teaching us to drive in a vacant field (while we were only eye-level with the steering wheel), picking blackberries, riding bikes, and cinnamon toast.  Every morning Grandma would make a masterfully architectured pile of this toasty, cinnamony delight.  As a 10 year old, the world did not feel more right than simply sitting in her kitchen, feet dangling with growing anticipation of the day’s upcoming adventures, as she showered us with love and cinnamonsugar.  Made with the same heap-fulls of love, and if you eat just a few too many, … it still has that effect. 

Cinnamon Toast

Revised version, because I can’t leave well enough alone.

(and these are all approximate measurements as I have an inexplicable aversion to measuring anything properly)

2 T butter, softened

1.5 T sugar*

2 generous tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

*I prefer a more pronounced cinnamon flavour than sugar but please feel free to adjust to your liking (Mos prefers 2 T sugar, or really just the bowl of sugar while we’re at it)…flavours will also depend on if you’re using a vegetable-oil based spread in place of real butter, (perfectly acceptable, although may not be Grandma approved), quality of ground cinnamon, potency of vanilla and so forth.  Just play with it!

Blend all together until creamy.  Place bread in toaster on low setting.  Remove when just warm and barely toasted.  Generously spread cinnamonsugarvanillaheaven on toast allowing it to lusciously melt.  Place back in toaster at a higher setting so that sugar can slightly caramelize, but don't let it burn.  You can also prepare in the oven under a broiler with no need for the first toasting because it will both melt and caramelize.  Not responsible for a resulting, overwhelming urge to climb apple trees.  

Other Variations:

freshly grated orange peel

almond extract

pecan walnut bread
raisin bread