Dear Elizabeth Minchilli; Thank you for Pistachio Cake

 Dear Elizabeth, 

Thank you for your blog, your generosity in sharing your homes in Rome and Umbria, your recipes, the photos, all make armchair traveling so satisfying, especially during this time of quarantine. A few years ago, you posted a pistachio cake recipe on your blog, and although my intentions were to make it immediately, I finally made it tonight since I dug out the pistachio flour from the freezer.  What a delicious treat! Thank you again. I'll preface this by saying, I'm not a baker, but I do love a good bake.  The recipe called for making two loaves, but since the loaf pans I have aren't the same size, I figured I'd try and make it a bundt cake, and it's glorious!  I'm so grateful for your generosity in sharing your favorite places, foods, and your writing and hope one day to meet you in person when we are finally in Italy again.  Gratefully yours, D

Elizabeth Minchilli's Pistachio Cake (adapted)

Makes one 9-inch bundt, or two loaves

The original recipe called for yogurt, I didn't have any so subbed in sour cream, and it's delicious.  

11 ounces salted butter 

2 cups sugar

8 large eggs

3 tablespoons pistachio paste (see link)

1 cup plain yogurt, or sour cream or creme fraiche

1/3 cup pistachio flour (see link)

2 cups 00 flour, or all-purpose (I used 00)

2 tablespoons baking powder

confectioners' sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and coat the inside of a 9-inch bundt pan, or two loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.  (I use Baker's Joy--never fails)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  

Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the pistachio paste and yogurt or sour cream.  

Add the flours, and baking powder, and beat until blended.  

Transfer to the prepared pan, and bake for 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  

Cool on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes, then turn out on the rack to cool completely.

Sift powdered sugar over the cooled cake and serve.  

This piece was still quite warm, but none-the-less, it was buttery, and delicious, with a crispy exterior.  

Now that I've made the investment in the pistachio flour and pistachio paste, I may just go into business making these cakes, it's that easy!  I do plan to make another and freeze it to have on hand.  This one will go quickly.  Once again, thanks to Elizabeth Minchilli, if you aren't following her and her daughter Sophie on Instagram and getting their blogs, you are missing out.  Ciao for now.  

Not Your Nonnas Panettone

 When I saw this photo on author Elizabeth Minchilli's instagram, and she described it as panettone with ground coffee and chocolate (sans the dried fruit) from  Roscioli Caffe,  I was hooked.  It just so happened, I had 10 pounds of butter, 3 dozen eggs, leftover chocolate from a binge of toffee making, and a recipe that I'd developed for traditional panettone.  Since the dough needs a long slow rise in the refrigerator, I began to make it yesterday afternoon.

First things first, chopping the block of chocolate.  Originally 11 pounds, I've used over half of it already. Best to use a serrated knife to chop the chocolate.

Into the mixer

Adding the chocolate and espresso powder

Doesn't look like much at this stage, but it's well mixed

Into a bowl to rise on the counter

Ready for its slow refrigerated rise

Good Morning!

These needed about 2 hours to rise on the counter since it's cold in my kitchen today

Peeking into the oven about 45 minutes in

Yes!

Not Your Nonna's Panettone

Makes three 6-inch panettone

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)

2 packages (3 tablespoons) dry active yeast

1/2 cup honey 

8 large eggs

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

7 cups all-purpose flour plus more for shaping

3 cups chopped chocolate (no chocolate chips---most of them don't melt)

1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water

Raw sugar for sprinkling over top

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle or dough hook, mix together the water, yeast and honey.  When the mixture is bubbling, add the eggs, butter, vanilla, and espresso powder.  Add the flour and chocolate, and mix until blended.  Turn into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.  (Make sure you are using a large bowl, because this will rise out of a smaller bowl)
2. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and let rise overnight.  
3. Cook's Note:  At this point shape into 3 balls and freeze for up to 2 months.  Defrost in the refrigerator and proceed.  
4. Coat the inside of 3 panettone bakers with non-stick cooking spray, and shape the dough into 3 balls. Put into the bakers, cover with plastic wrap and let rise on the counter until doubled.  Cook's note: today my kitchen was pretty cold, so it took 2 hours: depending on the atmospheric conditions in your kitchen this may take 1 hour.  
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, put the bakers onto a baking sheet and bake the panettone for 45 minutes, lower the heat to 300 and bake an additional 15 minutes, until the bread is crisp onthe outside, and sounds hollow when hit on the top.  Allow to cool completely. 

                                                                  Buon Natale tutti!

Deruta, Maioliche Nulli, and Lunch at Il Chicco Di Grano

Most of us have seen the traditional rooster pitcher from Italy.  These ceramics are call majolica and although many towns are famous for their majolica, Deruta is the big daddy.  Elizabeth Minchilli wrote a fabulous book about Deruta, and although it's currently not in print, she blogs about her favorite places here.

Five years ago, Dr. C. and I stopped at Maioliche Nulli to buy some ceramics from Deruta. Rolando and Goffredo hand throw and hand paint each piece that they make, many are numbered pieces. None of their designs are stamped, or machine painted.  This is a shop where the artisan (Rolando) greets you at the door, and then invites you down to his workshop.  My friend Char has been visiting from Cincinnati, and Rolando tutored her in making a bowl on the potters wheel.

I couldn't believe Char had never done this before, as Rolando said, un'artista!  Nice job!  After we'd made our purchases and arranged to send them back to the states we were asked if we were going for lunch in Deruta.  We asked where he would recommend, and Rolando said, he would accompany us. 

We followed him to a country inn, and we had an amazing lunch at Il Chicco di Grano.

Pasta filled with ricotta and pear with a pork sauce

Farro salad, pecorino fresco, arugula, pancetta and olio

Beef with smoked scamorzza cheese and roasted potatoes

Macedonia di frutta

Biscotti with Vin Santo

A family appeared to be having a celebration while we were there, we were the only Americans in the house.  Our waiter Tito took really good care of us, and it was a delight to meet Carla the chef.  Born in Rome, but living in Assisi, her food is exquisite.  

Carla on the left

The restaurant is part of an old country house that has been converted into  agriturisimo apartments.  You can stay here, and eat well, or you can stop by as we did.  The grounds are lovely, and I could picture the family that was having lunch there staying there to celebrate an anniversary, or special event.  

After that awesome morning and afternoon, we toddled off to Spello to sit on the terrace, until the rains sent us inside.  

Grazie to Rolando and Goffredo Nulli, at  Maioliche Nulli, and to Tito and Carla at Il Chicco di Grano for a lovely day in Deruta.