Simple Italian Meals - St Valentines Day Meal

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Mousse di formaggio con pan nociato al miele

Ingredients :

• For the Mousse : 5 oz grated pecorino cheese
• 1 oz celery
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro,
• ½ clove garlic,
• white wine vinegar, to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  For the pan nociato al miele :
• 3 oz flour
• ½ oz beer yeast
• 2 fl oz lukewarm water
• 2½ oz flour
• 2½ oz walnut pieces
• 1 oz barley flour
• ¾ oz honey
• pinch salt
• water

Preparation and Cooking Instructions :

1. For Mousse : In a food processor or hand-held mixer, blend all of the ingredients, except the vinegar, until of a smooth consistency. Mix in vinegar to taste. This quick and simple recipe can be used as a spread over rustic toasted bread or to season pasta dishes.
2. For the pan nociato al miele : Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and let stand in a warm, humid spot until doubled in volume.
3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients.
4. Once yeast mixture has doubled in size, add it to the nut-flour mixture and knead till smooth.
5. Shape the bread into a loaf and place into greased loaf pan; let rise till doubled.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 35-40 minutes.
7. Let stand before slicing and serving with the Mousse di formaggio.

Ciriole al tartufo

Ingredients :

• 6½ oz flour
• lukewarm water (usually half as much as the quantity of flour)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ( fruity if available )
• 1 knob butter
• 1 fresh black truffle
• ½ clove garlic
• salt and pepper

1. Sift the flour onto a flat surface. Form a well and add the water. Knead dough vigorously until it is smooth and homogeneous. Cover with damp towel and let rest 30 minutes.
2. Pinch off small knobs of the dough and with the palm of your hand, roll each piece against the countertop, forming long, thin strands.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet and add oil.
4. Add ½ of the truffle, freshly grated and the ½ clove garlic (leave whole so as to be able to remove it easily later).
5. Heat very gently, just enough for the aromas to blend well. Set aside.
6. In a large pot of boiling water, add the pasta with plenty of rock salt.
7. When the pasta floats to the top, gather it with a hand-held strainer and add it to the skillet along with the garlic and truffle-infused oil.
8. Give it a very gentle toss, lightly season with salt and pepper and serve with the remainder of the truffle, which has been very thinly sliced.
9. Cooks Note : It is generally taught to avoid adding truffles during the cooking process of the pasta, however, there are many exceptions in Italian cuisine and this recipe is one of those exceptions. In any case, it applies only to the black truffle, as the white one is too delicate to be treated in this manner.

Piccione in salmì

Ingredients :

• 2 pigeons, perfectly cleaned
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 onion
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 fresh sage leaves
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1/2 glass white wine vinegar
• 1 glass white wine
• Rind of 1/2 a lemon
• 3 oz chicken livers
• 2 tspn capers
• salt & pepper.

1. Season the pigeons with salt and pepper externally and inside the cavity as well.
2. Roast in a hot oven (400°F) for 20 minutes.
3. In an heat-proof casserole dish, add the oil and the remaining ingredients.
4. Remove the pigeons from the oven and cut in half in order that the juices run out, taking care to reserve them.
5. Place the pigeons and their juices into the casserole dish and boil, covered, 20 minutes.
6. Remove the pigeons and puree the cooked ingredients until smooth, making sure there are no bones in the mixture.

7. Serve on a platter, place the halved pigeons over sliced rustic bread and serve the puree over it all.
   

Dolce alla ricotta

Ingredients :

• 2 eggs
• 3½ oz flour
• 3½ oz sugar
• 1/4 tspn baking soda
  For the filling :
• 11 oz fresh ricotta cheese
• 6½ oz powdered sugar
• 2½ oz bittersweet chocolate grated
• 2½ oz ground almonds
• 2½ oz candied fruit
• 1 oz raisins
• 1 vanilla bean split
• 2 tspns maraschino cherry juice
• 1 tbsp Alchermes liquor.

1. Beat the eggs and sugar, add the flour and, lastly, the baking soda.
2. Pour batter into a butter and floured 8" cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes at 325°F (preferably not in a convection oven which would cause the cake to be too dry).
3. Let cool and turn out onto a flat dish.
4. With a serated knife, slice the cake into ½" strips starting from one end to the other.
   
5. For the filling: Toast the almonds in a small skillet with the sugar until the sugar begins to cling to the almonds.
6. Meanwhile, strain the ricotta and blend the powdered sugar into it along with the chocolate, the candied fruits, raisins, the vanilla bean seeds, the glazed almonds and the maraschino cherry juice.
7. Line the bottoms of two crystal cups with a layer of cake strips.
8. Sprinkle with Alchermes and then with a layer of the ricotta mixture. Repeat several times finishing with the cake strips.
9. Weight down with a saucer and chill in refrigerator until set.
10. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and chocolate curls.