The Sicilian Experience

Hey guys,

I apologize for the lack of posts latley. I really want to keep this blog going. It's been a bit of a strain latley though. Recently I had the pleasure of having a REAL Sicilian Experience.

I was mugged by a jerk on a vespa.

Definitely not on the top of my "to do" list, thats for sure.

Once we get this all squared away with my insurance company, I plan to post more.

:(

Quick tip for today:

I had a chocolate craving and really wanted to make chocolate chip cookies. But, ALAS! I don't have any room temperature butter. I've done the "nuke it in the microwave" trick and always come out with a melted center. If you take your butter, in the wrapper, and put it in a zip top bag-- then soak it in your sink with cool water.. it should be soft in about 20 min!

Pampered Chef: Mojito Torte!

OK so this is not a family recipe, I got it from The Pampered Chef. I've made it three times now and I get requests left and right for this delicious, minty, rum laden cake. It's perfect for summer BBQ's and really easy to make.

Creamy Mojito Torte

1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp Rum, divided (the recipe calls for dark but I prefer to use Bacardi)

1 Pkg of butter cake mix (+ingredients to make the cake- ie eggs, butter*, water)

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

3 limes

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp mint extract

in the cookbook it also calls for whipped topping to fold into the frosting-- i leave this out

*I use oil in place of the butter-- creates a more moist cake

First thing you're gonna do is preheat your oven to 350C (180F). Then spray your cake pans, I'm using the Pampered Chef torte pans, with a non stick baking spray. Cut 2 rounds of parchment paper to fit into the bottom of the pans. 

When mixing the cake according to the box directions--- substitute 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of the rum. Usually a box cake mix calls for 2/3 cup of water. Pour in the rum to hit the 1/2 cup then fill to 2/3 with water. Whisk this till smooth and then evenly distribute it into the cake pans. Bake these for about 15 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cakes are cooling on the counter, make your glaze. Take 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar and combine it with the 2 tbsp of rum. When you take the cakes out of their pans, brush the glaze on. 

For the filling, zest 2 of the limes for about 2 tsp of zest. Juice the limes for 3 tbsp of juice. Mix all the lime zest, juice, mint extract, powdered sugar and cream cheese til smooth. In the original recipe it says to fold in the whipped topping. Personally I leave this out because I HATE cool whip. I would rather make it myself, I have before. It's so simple. One day I will make it with homemade whipped cream but for now.. I leave it out. 

When the cakes have cooled, frost the bottom layer, top with the 2nd round and then frost the top layer. If you want to get fancy with it you can pipe the edges on with a star tip. I decorate with the 3rd lime sliced into half rounds. 

This recipe comes from the Season's Best Recipe Collection from Spring/Summer 2010.

Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July... drink responsibly!

Making an American pie with Italian cherries!

Nothing is more American than a cheery cherry pie... well maybe an apple pie, but thats beside the point! I was on the hunt for a red, white and blue dessert to bring to a good ole' American 4th of July BBQ this weekend. Since it's hard to come upon fresh blueberries here, I knew I could count on cherries.

Cherries, ciliegia in Italian, seem to grow pretty well here and you can always find them in the market come summertime. I am not positive on the local varieties, but they remind me of Rainier cherries. 

Normally, when you think cherries, you think of that artificial maraschino flavoring that you get in cherry pop tarts, lollipops, or worse cough syrup-- bleck! Cherry flavoring is probably one of the biggest culinary lies ever! Artificial cherry flavoring tastes NOTHING like fresh cherries!! My husband doesn't believe me. :) Personally, I feel that if people gave REAL cherries a try, they would be delightfully surprised.

*Don't confuse artificial cherry flavor with grenadine! Grenadine is made with pomegranate*

This recipe is not for the faint of heart and does require quite a bit of time and effort. But, that doesn't mean that its not simple. I spent about 45 min (or an entire episode of Bones) pitting & halving cherries. But it's worth it in the end, I promise...

In the words of the great Alton Brown "your patience will be rewarded". 

All American Cherry Pie

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tsp Salt (I use kosher)

1 tsp Sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) of cold butter cut into small cubes

ice water, about 1/4 cups worth

Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Then, with clean hands, crush the butter into the flour. Your body heat will slowly soften the butter as you mash. When you've gotten the butter into pea sized portions, slowly add the ice water by the tablespoon. Combine into one large clump. Dust your work surface with flour and work the dough into a ball. Cut in half and work each half into a small disc, wrap each in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours. (now go watch more Bones tee hee)

Cherry Filling

2 lbs of fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Flour for rolling out the crust
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp water
sugar for sprinkling, turbinado or cane sugar would be great! Im using granulated.

Preheat your oven to 400F (approx. 200C). Lower your oven rack to its lowest position. 

On a floured work surface, roll out 1 of the dough disks to about a 14-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. I prefer to use a french bakers peel over a traditional rolling pin. Its not as heavy as one either!

*Easy trick! Wrap the dough around your rolling pin and then unroll on the pie pan*. 

Without stretching the dough too much, lightly press it into the pan and then trim the excess dough all around. 

Next, roll out your second dough disc the same way but this time cut it into 6 to 8, depending on your pie plate, 1 1/2-inch-wide strips. I used a pizza cutter-- so much easier than a knife.

Combine cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a bowl and toss until cherries are coated. Then pour the mixture into the bottom crust. 

To keep clean up fast and easy, place your pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone bakers mat. Doing so will help protect an oven against sticky boil overs. Weave strips over filling to form a lattice. Trim the strips to a 1 inch overhang and tuck strips under rim of bottom crust. Press to seal and crimp with a fork all around the edge. Lightly brush your lattice with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. I tend to go a little more rustic in shape and design when it comes to pies.

Bake until filling is bubbling all over, about 60 to 70 minutes (tent with aluminum foil when crust starts to brown, about 40 minutes). 

Transfer your hot pie to a cooling rack to bring to room
temperature. Nothing is worse than a hot syrup burn on the tongue! Serve chilled with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream and youre all set to go!