Vigilia di natale. The night before Christmas

“Happiness is  only real when shared” 
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

 So yet another year has rolled around and here we are getting ready to celebrate the Eve of Christmas. This time of year is always sentimental as naturally I would like to spending time with my family but obviously there are many oceans between us. Family is not just a word. It is who you are, where you came from and where you will always belong. That is why this year I have decided to be senitmental in the kitchen, bringing back many childhood recipes that my Mother and even grandmother would make.

Typically my Christmas festive season is spent celebrating with friends and I have always been lucky to have been invited into their homes. It is true that friends although you will never be connected by blood, can become an extended family. Our tradition here in Italy is that all of my close friends come to my house on Christmas evening. It spontaneously occurred my first year here in Italy, and we have kept the tradition running. For the past six years I have cooked an array of Italian treats, but this year I am going back to my British roots. Keeping the odd Italian treat aflame such as tiramisu, riccarelli biscuits and pandoro! As all of my friends arrive at my house after long lunches of extravagnce with their families, I will fill my table with various deserts. 

So I thought I would share with you some of the old school delights I have on the cards for tomorrow,

Traditional English pudding complete with creme anglaise and ice-cream

Drunken triffle made with homemade pandoro, custard, fruit and cream

A pain stakingly time consuming gingerbread house 

Home made chocolates in gift bags 

Chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate icing 

Ginger biscuits with gorgonzola and walnuts 

Mince pie eggnog milkshakes 

Then of course some of the Italian delights that I mentioned previously with some savoury items such as fegatini crostini (tuscan pate(, smoked salmon, cured meats, cheeses and dried fruits etc.

I think the longer you live away from home the more you get sentimental, or maybe that just comes with age. This year is also the first year in six that I will be celebrating with my boyfriend, so I am really excited to be sharing some of my families traditions with him, complete with bon bon`s I was able to find at a local British shop! http://www.richmonds.it

Traditionally I have always given edible gifts or have filled hampers with the years produce ranging from homemade liquors, sundries tomatoes and various pesto`s etc. This year I have kept it simple with homemade chocolates, pandoro, and `do it yourself` homemade chocolate chip muffin jars, just add milk and eggs! I am looking forward to sharing my homemade goodies with all tomorrow! 

So as we all settle into our cosy beds tonight and anticipate the magical day that is Christmas, a day typically filled with excessive gifts and indulgence. I ask you just to take a moment to think of the 100 million homeless, the 800 million people living in poverty and the 11 million children that die every year as victims of malnutrition. Then give thanks for how lucky we all are!

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Kara xxx

My babies, homemade Pandoro 

Make at home chocolate muffins gift jars. Just add milk and eggs!!!

The before and aftermath

Fritelle di riso- fried sweet rice balls

There is nothing I don't love about carnival in Viareggio.  For me it is a complete dream: costumes, glitter, large floats made from paper mache, masked dancers, loud music, confetti, silly string, foam, street food, all night festivals.  I mean it is complete madness and chaos but so much fun.  A non-stop party that lasts a month, it has my name written all over it!!!

You can feel the spirit of carnival that brings the community together. Living in Viareggio for almost the last three years there is a complete cycle of mood that the community experiences throughout the year. Carnival is Viareggio at it's peak, generally everyone is happy!  There are many songs that were written over a 100 years ago to sing and dance to throughout the festive season.  It is much more fun celebrating with people from Viareggio as you learn all the funny child like dance moves and feel the passion.

It is recorded that the first carnival was celebrated in 1162 in Venice and is know for it's elegance. Although the Viareggio carnival is a baby in comparison, dating back to 1872. It is an annual event that takes place forty days before Easter. 

Like I mentioned before it is party that lasts over a month, a winter month. Although this year we have been lucky to have a few sunny days it is still generally cold, especially for the outdoor night time concerts and street parties. These little fried rice balls are a traditional sweet sold during the carnival season at street vendors and coffee shops everywhere. They are perfect to keep your bodies warm and your bellies full and give the sustenance needed for the all night dancing. During this time many Italians will make these at home or buy as a gift from local pastry shops.

Try them at home and experience a little carnival joy!

What you need:

200g rice (carnaroli)

500ml milk

300 ml water

two medium size eggs

80g butter

80g sugar

zest of one orange (finely grated)

zest of one lemon (finely grated)

one pinch of salt

two tablespoons of marsala (or grappa or vin santo)

sunflower oil for frying 

How to make:

1: Place the milk, water, butter and salt in a pan and bring to a pre-boil

2: Add sugar, lemon and orange rind, and rice

3: Cook until the rice absorbs the liquid, continue to stir. This will take about 2-25 minuets. 

4: Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks

5: Add the egg yolks to the cooked rice mix and stir through well

6: Add the egg whites and stir through lightly. Place in the fridge for half an hour

7: Bring the oil to the boil

8: Add small tablespoons of rice mixture to the oil and cook until golden brown. I find it easier to use two spoons to form a nice shape and drop into the oil.

9: Remove and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with icing sugar and EAT

#buonadomenica #carnevale #viareggio #cibo #streetfood #fritelle #rice #eggwhites #marsala #italia #italy #makimaki #turista #versilia #toscana #tuscany #kara

Il pandoro

What are the fundamentals for creating a child? Although I have never been pregnant nor given birth I can imagine that much patience is needed, time, care, sometimes discomfort and a lot love. These are also the basic fundamentals needed for making the perfect pandoro. And after all of these factors have been applied a child or should I say a pandoro is born! 

Pandoro is a traditional sweet yeast bread always found during the Christmas period in Italy. In fact you will find numerous varieties in multi coloured boxes in most Italian homes during Christmas. Last year I was gifted a minimum of ten, quite comical considering I live alone. They are often served and  dusted with icing sugar flavoured with vanilla. More recently some people hollow them out and place chantilly cream or ice-cream inside. I find that this serves well for the commercially purchased varieties. However in my opinion this is a complete injustice to the flavour and respect commanded for a homemade pandoro.

For all of those who have shared in my pandoro journey we now rejoice in the birth of my child- and we can also eat it!

STEP ONE to make the mother yeast:

15 grams of fresh yeast

60 grams of warm water

50 grams of flour 00

10 grams of sugar (a pinch)

one egg YOLK

In a large bowl add the warm water to the yeast and combine well, then the sugar, then the flour and egg yolk. Whisk together well ensuring there are no lumps.

Cover with a tea-towel and place in a dark and warm place for an hour. The liquid will become almost double in size and should become thick and creamy (featured above).

melted butter      this is 15 grams of fresh yeast

STEP TWO to make the first round of dough (featured above):

250 grams of flour 00

3 grams of fresh yeast

two tablespoons of tepid water

one tablespoon of sugar

30 grams of butter

one egg

Add the flour and the egg to the 'mother yeast'. In a small pan melt the butter, then add the yeast, water and sugar. Add this liquid to the mother yeast, flour and egg mixture. Use a spoon to bring all of the ingredients together. Once they are blended use your floured hands to then place the dough on a floured surface and knead together into a ball (as featured below). This will only take a minute.

Place the dough ball in a lightly butter bowl, cover with a tea-towel and allow to rest and rise for one hour in a dark warm place. This will double in size

STEP THREE to make the second round of dough:
200 grams of flour 00
100 grams of sugar
one teaspoon of salt
two eggs
one stick of vanilla (remove seeds)
140 grams of butter at room temperature 
To the first round of dough add all of the above ingredients but NOT THE BUTTER.

Use a spoon to bring all of the ingredients together. Once they are blended use your floured hands to then place the dough on a floured surface and knead together into a ball (as featured below). This will only take a minute.

Like with the first round of dough place the dough ball in a lightly butter bowl, cover with a tea-towel and allow to rest and rise for one hour in a dark warm place. This will double in size, or in my case triple in size.

Then place the dough in the fridge for half and hour

STEP FIVE

Roll out on a well floured surface a large rectangle shape with the dough. Place the room temperature butter in the middle

STEP SIX

 Fold in the two longest outer edges into the centre

STEP SEVEN

 Then fold the two longest outer edges into the centre

STEP EIGHT

Then fold in two as displayed above. Place the dough like this is a lightly buttered bowl and allow to rest for half an hour. Then place in the fridge for half an hour.

STEP NINE
Remove from the fridge and repeat the top three steps THREE MORE TIMES. Roll out, fold, fold, fold, then place in fridge for half an hour each time

STEP TEN

Place the dough in a well buttered and floured pandoro tin (as featured below). Place the tin in a warm place to allow to rise for 8-10 hours. My house is really cold so I placed it in the oven with just the light on. The rising time will vary depending on the elements. Make sure you keep your eye on it during the final rising hours.

the dough in the mould and the risen dough after eight hours

STEP ELEVEN

Place the risen dough in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees for fifteen minuets. Then reduce the oven to 150 and bake for a further ten minuets. Use a skewer to ensure it is cooked through. Rest for ten minuets then turn out the pandoro

Serve up-side down and sprinkle with icing sugar 

#pandoro #buonadomenica #christmas #dough #cibo #bambino #levito #yeast #italy #italia #stampino #forma #impasto #burro #butter

Crostata di cioccolato- Chocolate tart

Only serious chocolate lovers are to read this post, as the main ingredient stars the decadent goodness. The name for dark chocolate in Italian is 'cioccolto fondente', and this recipe displays it's bitter characteristic perfectly. Just a few ingredients and you have a perfect velvety chocolate centre. The secret ingredient is adding a small amount of almond meal, which adds another curious dimension. In an earlier post I wrote about 'crostata', and how in Italy they are typically filled with various jams and more recently also nutella. I really wanted to share this version of 'crostata' with you as it really is quite special. Homemade pastry always makes me happy. You only need a slither as it is delicously intense. They say dark chocolate is good for you, no?

what you need:

200g 70% cocoa chocolate

one cup of milk

100g sugar

25g almond meal

pastry:

400g pastry flour

three organic eggs

150g sugar

150g organic butter 

1: Make the dough by sifting flour in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs slightly and pour in the centre of flour, add sugar, stir through lightly with a spoon to gently combine. Pour in melted pour that has been slightly cooled. Use the spoon to gently combine all the ingredients. Once the ingredients are combined, transfer to a floured bench and knead for about 3-5 minutes, until the dough comes together. Wrap tightly in plastic and place in the fridge for 30 minuets

2: Turn out dough to a floured bench and cut roughly in half. Use the larger half and roll out, large enough to line a tart pan. Transfer the rolled out dough to a greased tart pan.

3: Melt all of the ingredients for the filling over a low heat. Once the ingredients have melted transfer to the fridge and allow to cool

4: Prick the tart case with a fork. Pour in cooled chocolate mixture

5: Roll out the remaining pastry and cut in long even strips. Start placing strips of pastry in the centre, working outwards. Then place strips in the opposite direction using the same method.

6: Bake a pre-heated 180 degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden in colour

7: Allow to cool and lightly dust with icing sugar

 

#chocolate tart, #crostata