mariadnoca
Moderator
Imagine how sad I was to find it in winter when this filling is made from watermelon! Crostata al Gelo di Mellone (watermelon pudding tart).
I just picked up something drool worthy from the library…
- Thread starter mariadnoca
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Imagine how sad I was to find it in winter when this filling is made from watermelon! Crostata al Gelo di Mellone (watermelon pudding tart).
ooh that was my first question upon seeing it and now I am stunned as well. I have never heard of watermelon pudding. Must take a look at this epistle and see what else is in it. Jamie Oliver had a worthwhile adventure in Basilicata. (I'm not a fan but I have been hooked on Italy lately) The old girls there can really teach us (and him) some surprising tricks.
mariadnoca
Moderator
There is three pages on cannoli, including a recipe to make your own ricotta, which she says it what really makes it special. I had plenty of them from Italian nonnas when I was a kid, but don’t know if they made the cheese. People definitely have lots of opinions about the quality of cannoli. I’m intrigued!
oohhh...not available!
mariadnoca
Moderator
Yeah, my library didn’t have it. I had to order it from another.
mariadnoca
Moderator
I’ll dig through it and report back
I have prepared home-made ricotta and it's actually really, really good and so easy. One of those recipes where you stand back when it's done and say "huh"...with a satisfied smile on your face. I just kept eating it while it was warm.
Definitely less acidic than store-bought.
I can't find the recipe I used years ago, but remembered you could use either lemon juice or vinegar or a mixture of both to activate the clotting action. Lemon juice has a slightly milder taste. I used mine with fresh pasta.
Definitely less acidic than store-bought.
I can't find the recipe I used years ago, but remembered you could use either lemon juice or vinegar or a mixture of both to activate the clotting action. Lemon juice has a slightly milder taste. I used mine with fresh pasta.
mariadnoca
Moderator
I have prepared home-made ricotta and it's actually really, really good and so easy. One of those recipes where you stand back when it's done and say "huh"...with a satisfied smile on your face. I just kept eating it while it was warm.
Definitely less acidic than store-bought.
I can't find the recipe I used years ago, but remembered you could use either lemon juice or vinegar or a mixture of both to activate the clotting action. Lemon juice has a slightly milder taste. I used mine with fresh pasta.
The recipe in this book uses, whole milk, cream, salt, vegetable rennet, and water. The cream she states is to approximate the added creaminess of sheep’s milk, which was how they made it when she was growing up in Italy. She says first her father would make pecorino, and then make the ricotta from the whey left over after that.
mariadnoca
Moderator
The book has a sources page for it. Be careful, this website can take you down a black hole and decide you are sure you want to start making your own cheese!
cheesemaking.com
Rennet for Cheese Making
You can't make cheese without rennet. It separates milk into curds and whey. We carry some of the best rennet for home cheese making. Shop all Rennet today.
cheesemaking.com
OMG - I saw rennet in the grocery store today (ShopRite). Wasn't even looking for it. It just caught my eye and I said to myself - hmmmm - never expected that here. I think it was in the jello aisle - I would have expected with the canning stuff .... I'll have to check next time I'm there.
My library copy has arrive. It clarified why I didn't like sfogliatelle when I tried one at a famous Italian bakery in NYC. The dough is spread with lard to facilitate the layering, while croissant dough uses butter. So my taste buds knew something was off, at least for me. But to the author's credit, she does specify (in the Ingredients section) that if you use lard, you should use leaf lard and not basic lard. There is definitely a difference in taste and smell; I use leaf lard in my pie crusts.
I'm considering the almond spirals and will definitely make her candied orange peel, which she says lasts a year and is much better than the majority of store bought.
There are some STUNNING views of Italy....I have to wonder if they were taken during COVID with drones because if there were that many perfect uncluttered street scene, tourists would come and never leave.
I'm considering the almond spirals and will definitely make her candied orange peel, which she says lasts a year and is much better than the majority of store bought.
There are some STUNNING views of Italy....I have to wonder if they were taken during COVID with drones because if there were that many perfect uncluttered street scene, tourists would come and never leave.
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mariadnoca
Moderator
I plan to try making the orange peel too. I found she has a savory cookbook too. I just picked it up from the library. Same look and style as the dessert book, but only one region, Calabria.
For an overview of the book:
www.cookingwithrosetta.com
Her website also has recipes, including the candied orange peels! With a video!
www.cookingwithrosetta.com
For an overview of the book:
[ book ] My Calabria — Cooking With Rosetta
www.cookingwithrosetta.com
Her website also has recipes, including the candied orange peels! With a video!
How to make candied orange peels — Cooking With Rosetta
It is the season when I make my candied orange peels to last for the entire year. I use them on top of cannoli, chopped in various desserts, and in my ricotta gelato; we even coat the ends with dark chocolate to eat as candy.
www.cookingwithrosetta.com