Tag: comfort

10 comfort food versions for gourmands – Italian Cuisine

If you are a fan of this delicacy, try it in the version that best suits you: only hazelnuts, with cocoa, with little sugar, without palm oil, organic

The cold temperatures tempt us to stay at home, to look for a sofa and a cover and to indulge in some more pampering, especially in terms of food. The password is comfort food, which is what makes us feel good and satisfies our emotional need. For gourmands, for example, most of all, they are i desserts.

Cuddle with hazelnuts

As one Spreadable cream to be enjoyed directly by sinking the spoon, melted in hot milk, on a slice of bread, a biscuit, or even as a filling of a cake, perhaps accompanied by a cup of tea and steaming coffee. These autumn fruits keep us company all winter and with sugar and cocoa they become irresistible. The variations to choose from are endless and all super tempting. And from Eataly you find one selection really quality.

Without sugar or with hazelnut oil?

There is that of Maison della Nocciola Piemonte, made without adding cocoa and rich in vitamin E, D and calcium, that of Achillea with hazelnuts I.G.P. 45% bio and cocoa, without palm oil, added milk or gluten, or that of Health greedy, an alternative and healthy pastry that produces it with hazelnuts and cocoa but without sugar; there is that of Venchi produced with hazelnuts, cocoa and olive oil, or even that of Clauses based on toasted hazelnuts and cocoa, perfumed with a hint of vanilla, that of Pariani which uses hazelnut oil and de oil The Window on the Sky, organic and made only with three ingredients: hazelnuts, brown sugar and bitter cocoa. And do not forget the creme gianduja (which takes its name from the typical Piedmontese mask) like that of Domori with creamy chocolate and hazelnuts, without milk, or that of Caffarel with cocoa and fine Piedmontese hazelnuts. And the Giacometta? It is the sweet wedding of Gianduja and is produced by Giraudi with I.G.P. hazelnuts, cane sugar, sunflower oil and cocoa.

Crêpes with caramelized apples: few ingredients, so much comfort food! – Italian Cuisine

Do you love strudel? Do you love apples cooked in the oven with raisins and nuts? Can not you do without Grandma's apple pie?
So this is the recipe for you. A stuffed crepe with caramelized apples serve warm, with some whipped cream and a cup of vanilla tea. Preparing it is very simple and the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days. When you want to treat yourself to a sweet treat, work eggs, milk and flour and you're done!

The pan for crêpes

In fact, to make perfect crêpes you do not need to have the special pan also known as crêpe griddle, but you can also use a simple one no stick pan. obviously imburratela slightly and use it only when it is very hot.
Remember that the first crepe is never good, but do not be discouraged right away and go beyond!
The secret is do not use too much batter and of spread it well once poured into the pan.
There is a special tool for this step, but to spread the batter on the pan, just move it by twirling it to distribute the mixture well anywhere. Avoid the edges because the crêpes must remain flat.

The basic recipe for crêpes

First, bang 3 eggs and then with a hand whisk mix them with 500 ml of whole milk.
Finally add the well sifted flour, about 250 g, and then let the batter rest for a while by covering it with the film.
We do not add sugar because the filling is already very sweet and if there are any cracks we can stuff it even with salty ingredients.
Pour the batter with a ladle inside a lightly buttered crepe or pan and spread it evenly.
Cook one minute per side and then stack the crêpes one on top of the other to make them cool a little. In this way they will remain soft and will maintain the right humidity.
With this dose and a 22 cm diameter pan, you will get about 8-10 crêpes .

The apple filling

Apples must be cooked and caramelized, but they must maintain their consistency.
Then cut about six in large cubes or thick slices and cook them in the pan with a knob of butter, a dash of lemon juice and three tablespoons of sugar.
Stir quickly to melt the sugar and when lightly browned add some cinnamon and turn off the heat. You can also use the whole cinnamon stick and keep it cooking.
Once the filling is ready you can whip, but we advise you so in pieces.
Stuff the crêpes still warm with hot apples, sprinkle everything with it powdered sugar and serve with ice cream cream or simple semi-whipped cream.

Variant with other fruit

The same recipe can be prepared with other fruit.
Always choose something that you can cook and caramelize.
We suggest you use the bananas if you love soft textures, flavored pears with ginger, cinnamon, star anise and nutmeg for an explosion of perfumes and thepineapple flambé with rum for a variant with an exotic flavor.

Browse the tutorial for more tips on preparing crêpes!

a comfort food a little sweet and a little salty – Italian Cuisine

Who knows what the famous farmer of these baked pears would say, stuffed with cheese, to be served with chopped hazelnuts and chestnut honey?

This is a very simple but effective recipe. Bring baked pears to the table as an appetizer, as a second course or even after a meal and you will leave everyone speechless because it is a nice dish to serve and delicious to taste.
The contrast between the sweetness and crunchiness of the pears and the creaminess of the intense and blue-veined taste of the gorgonzola it makes extraordinary a dish in itself poor and not too elaborate.
It is obvious to say, but obviously the quality of raw materials makes the difference when the ingredients are few.
Our advice, therefore, to prepare this dish is starting from an accurate expense.

Recipe of baked stuffed pears

Cut the pears in half in the sense of length without peeling and with a knife excavate the central part which contains cored and seeds.
Season with honey and pepper and bake for about 15 minutes at 180 degrees.
Take the pears out of the oven and put them in each a teaspoon of gorgonzola.
Bake for a few minutes and then serve with chestnut honey and hazelnut grains.

Which pear to choose

The pears williams and the Kaiser they are the best to prepare this dish because they keep cooking well without losing consistency. Do not choose them too ripe or bruised otherwise you risk to undo or blacken them during cooking.
The peel that is the fibrous part of the fruit remains and must be eaten along with everything else.

10 sweet recipes with pears

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Which cheese to choose

We suggested you use a sweet gorgonzola, but if you love the flavors you can also opt for one roquefort, a French sheep's cheese particularly blue-veined and with an intense flavor.
To give more creaminess to the filling you can add a part of mascarpone cheese.
If you want to make it light and delicate, use instead of gorgonzola ricotta and parmesan.
If you want a greater "untiement", instead, chopped with a knife taleggio and fontina.
In practice, you can fill the pear with your favorite cheeses, even if the gorgonzola and all the blue cheeses are the ideal match.

First courses with gorgonzola

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The importance of honey

In addition to the sweetness of pears it is necessary to add a little honey to counteract the taste of cheese.
Honey candy slightly the pears penetrating into the pulp and making them more tasty.
Put some on raw pears before cooking and more before serving.
We have proposed a chestnut honey because it has a particularly aromatic and decided aftertaste that goes well with cheeses, but if you use a delicate filling you opt for a Acacia's honey.

A bit 'of crunchiness

The effect crunchy it should never be lacking when a dish is too soft or creamy like this.
The hazelnuts they are fine with pears and cheese, but also walnuts and almonds.
You can use a mix of dried fruit and we recommend to toast it before chopping it coarsely and sprinkle it on the pears, in this way it will release all its scent.