WALNUT SAUCE, A LIGURIAN FRESH DELICACY

Traditionally, this walnut sauce was meant to be served with pansoti, typical Ligurian stuffed pasta, yet it is excellent with fusilli, potato gnocchi and other specialties.
In these super-hot summers šŸ”„ , we all need something fresh, a fast yet nice sauce that does not need cooking.
This walnut sauce, a delicious vegetarian dish, cannot be kept for more than 4-5 days in the fridge. Store it to a glass container and cover it with some olive oil.

 

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yield: Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

FOR THE STUFFING

  • 20 walnuts, shelled
  • Ā½ cup (100 g) cream or curd
  • Ā¼ cup (30 g) grated Parmigiano
  • Ā½ cup milk
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 2 slices of stale bread, Ciabatta-style, deprived of the crust
  • 1 tbsp fresh marjoram, minced
  • Ā½ garlic clove
  • Sea salt to tast

Instructions

In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk. After 5 minutes, squeeze the milk out of the bread.

In a food processor, begin to mix the walnuts, garlic, bread and marjoram together. Add the other ingredients, oil and cream or curd in successive batches, mix for one minute, and the sauce is ready.

If you have a mortar, the ideal method is to mix all the ingredients together.

Often, the marjoram will turn brown. An excellent way to prevent this is to add a few ice cubes in the food processor or by keeping the food processor bowl in the freezer.

Traditionally, this sauce was meant to be served with pansoti, typical Ligurian stuffed pasta, yet it is excellent with potato gnocchi and other specialties.

In these super-hot summers, we all need something fresh, a fast yet nice sauce that does not need cooking.

This walnut sauce, a delicious vegetarian dish, cannot be kept for more than 4-5 days in the fridge. Store it to a glass container and cover it with some olive oil.

 



CERTOSINO CAKE, CHRISTMAS IN BOLOGNA

With the Bologna Certosino (Chartreuse cake) I want to introduce you to a typical Christmas cake of Bologna cuisine, with almonds, pine nuts, unsweetened chocolate and candied fruit. It is almost unknown out of Emilia-Romagna region: sadly, the fame of many regional cakes is clouded by industrial products, which I am not a great fan of.

This cake is called panspeziale (apothecariesā€™ bread) – a kind of gingerbread, since in Middle Age it was created and baked by apothecaries (speziali).

Later, the Bologna Chartreuse friars began to bake it, and it was named after them. Other scholars believe the origin of his name is due to ā€œspecial breadā€ (pan spziĆØl ) in Bologna dialect.

 

After careful historic researches, in the summer of 2003, Bologna delegation of Academy of Italian Cuisine deposited at Bologna Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, the official recipe of Certosino.

This one, nevertheless, is not the canonic recipe but my mumā€™s, since that, like in all families, there is always the addition of little personal touches.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Yield: Makes 8-10 servings.

Ingredients

 

  • Ā¾ cup (100 g.) whole almonds, peeled
  • Ā¾ cup (100 g.) pine nuts
  • 1 cup (100 g.) dried figs, in chunks
  • Ā¾ cup (100 g.) raisins
  • 1-cup (100 g.) walnuts
  • 7 oz (g. 200) diced candied fruit mix
  • 21 oz. (g. 600) whole candied fruit (orange, cherries, cedar)
  • 1-tablespoon anise seeds
  • 1-teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 cups (250 g.) pastry flour
  • Ā½-cup (100 g.) white sugar
  • Ā¾ cup (80 g.) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1-teaspoon baking soda
  • Tepid water

 

Instructions

Heat the oven, 350 F. (180 C.)

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, adding the diced mixed fruit, except the candied ones which must be left in a whole.

Pour the mixture in a baking pan, previously covered with parchment. Use the candied fruits to decorate the top of the mix and bake it for 40 minutes at 350 F. (180 C.).

Check with a wooden toothpick if it is cooked. If the stick is still wet, add 10 minutes.