GORDON RAMSAY RECIPES

Enhancement of the most suited grapes of the Valpollicella, entrusted to the hands of Graziana Grassini the lady Sassicaia: this is the pink revolution of the Pasqua family

Character, style and elegance: these are the features that can be traced back to the production of a renewed one Cecilia Beretta, a company of 50 hectares, owned by the Pasqua family since 1980. Riccardo and Alessandro, the third generation, have redesigned the physical features of this property, whose name refers to an emblematic figure of his era: Cecilia Beretta, a cultured and refined woman who lived in the second half of the 18th century and who welcomed intellectuals, artists and musicians from all over Europe in her living room.

The pink turn

Wanting to make the most of the vineyards of this portion of Valpollicella, Riccardo and Alessandro decided to seek advice from an external voice, who had never worked in those areas, to learn about a different approach to wine. Thus they availed themselves of the collaboration of Graziana Grassini, one of the first Italian enologous women, trained at the school of Giacomo Tachis and now consultant to the Marquis Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, father of the famous Sassicaia. "The desire of the family was to make an authentic Valpollicella, the maximum expression of these territories," explains Grassini. "That's why they called me." The Beretta brand has been entrusted to another lady, Cecilia Pasqua, also a third generation of the family, a young and determined woman, perfect for holding this new rebirth.

The labels of Cecilia Beretta

Aiming for quality production, through processes that reflect the traditional approach to the vinification of typical Valpollicella grapes, Graziana Grassini will work for Easter on five iconic labels for the winery: Mizzole Valpollicella, Amarone della Valpollicella DOCG Classico Riserva, Brognoligo Soave Classico Doc , Picàie Rosso Veneto IGT and Freeda Rosé TRevenezie IGT. The fil rouge of his work will be the rediscovery of strength and of the personality of wines considered traditional of this area, to make each label the maximum expression of that vine in that particular area. With a sensitivity, a care and a feminine touch.

Cover

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It's called "Pasimata" or "schiacciata di Pasqua", a traditional recipe from Lucca and Garfagnana. To do at home, like this, with the recipe of Andrea Crudeli, chef of Locanda Alla Posta

It is called "Pasimata" or "schiacciata di Pasqua" and takes its name from the rural tradition of preparing, at the end of Lent, many sweets crushing dozens of eggs. It is a sweet leavened, flavored with anise seeds, with a long and laborious preparation that, depending on the quantity of dough, can last even two or three days. In the original version it is a normal bread that over time has been softened by the presence of lard and sugar. The Garfagnina version includes the addition of sultanas.

The smash is a ritual bread which once had a precise religious meaning. A bread to be shared among all, to each his part, in the meaning of fraternal commonality. For this reason in all the parishes, by the confraternities, the Pasimata was distributed in the church where on Holy Saturday preceding Easter it was blessed by the parish priests together with the eggs.

For those who want to prepare it at home, here is the recipe by Andrea Crudeli, chef of the Locanda Alla Posta, one of the restaurants located within the Ciocco Tenuta and Parco. The Valle del Serchio, in fact, the area of Tuscany that extends from the plain of Lucca to the Garfagnana and in which precisely Il Ciocco is located, celebrates the Easter holidays with a rich program of events, according to the best traditions handed down for years.

Ingredients for a cake

500 grams of flour
3 eggs
200 grams of lard (or butter)
200 grams of sugar
50 grams of brewer's yeast
150 grams of sultanas
1 tablespoon of anise seeds

Method

The day before the lievitino is prepared by dissolving the yeast in a glass of warm water and mixing it with 100/150 grams of flour and leaving it to rest at room temperature covered with a rag for a whole day.

The next day, first of all the eggs and the remaining flour are divided into three parts, the sultanas are put in soaking lukewarm water to make it softer and the butter is worked in ointment or almost melted.

It then begins to incorporate 1 egg with 1/3 of flour into the lievitino, mixing it all energetically and then let it rest and rise again for about 2 hours at room temperature and always covered.

Then follow the same procedure a second time, letting the mixture rest for another 2 hours, and finally, at the third time, the melted butter, sugar, soaked raisins and anise are incorporated.

Spread it all on a baking sheet and let it rest again for 2 hours.

At this point it is baked in the oven at 180 degrees for about an hour.

Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Tag: Pasqua

Cecilia Beretta, the turning point in pink of the Pasqua family – Italian Cuisine