Tag: salty

Casatiello, rich homemade salty Easter – Italian Cuisine

It's right. It is from the earth that he has stuffed a 'simple' bakery product among the World Heritage Sites that comes from the Casatiello. Rich, simple, greedy, festive. In two words, a true heritage. In two others, a resurrection of the senses: Easter.

Flour, fats, cheeses and cured meats. And eggs, of course. In plain sight in this crown to exhibit and above all to share and sbafare on festive occasions (choose the delicious eggs, I recommend!). Eggs perched on top of the dough, whether it is salty, or in its sweet version. In any case, the casatiello is the traditional one donut rustic of the tradition Neapolitan Easter.

Like the pastiera, the Easter boast of Neapolitan patisseries, the casatiello was originally born to be consumed during the Easter lunch. In reality the tradition varies: for some it is typical of Holy Saturday; nowadays it is kneaded and also found in other periods of the year. But given its fantastically transportable format (without even needing to be heated) it has become a must for the picnic outside of Easter Monday (here's how to organize it in a few easy steps).

173077 Let's start with a little history of tradition. First of all, where does the name come from? From the cheese, probably, which abounds in the dough. Shape? Well, it's very typical of the Easter symbolism: can represent the crown of thorns (which then becomes a crown of light …) but at the same time its annular aspect is a call to the cyclical nature of the resurrection. Each egg (man?) Is caged in his cross, or two strips of dough in the shape of a cross from which it will be released on Easter. When – without wishing to be blasphemous – in this case it will ascend to the mouth: in filling our senses with this culinary delight, it is beautiful to recall also to the mind and heart the deeper meaning of this cooking preparation, since the real food nurtures something more that the body …

And we come to the substance. Here we deal mainly with the salty version, which is usually used accompanied by cold cuts and cheeses, and in particular soppressata and salted ricotta – next to broad beans, in perfect tasting time!

Recipe it's here. A prescription. Of course, because then the beauty is that, as good rustic preparation which is, everyone fires a little his version, which certainly depends on the family tradition but also on the availability of ingredients and the inspiration of the moment. For example: the salami par excellence with which it is enriched is the prized and popular Naples salami (coarse grain, lean pork and veal and hard fat of pancetta or bacon). Do you have Milan salami? Use that one! There are those who put the greaves. You want to know what the Neapolitan chef par excellence puts us, Antonino Cannavacciuolo? Salami and smoked pancetta, and pecorino, parmesan, spicy provolone and smoked scamorza with regard to the cheeses.

Vegetarian version very possible and delicious. Simply eliminate the cured meats in favor of the cheeses (one smoked always gives good taste) and replace lard or lard with a different fat – many use the oil extra virgin, but friability and taste vary depending on the fat used – which can also be a mix: try your combination!

Furthermore: while in the traditional casatiello and the enriching ingredients are mixed rigorously together with farina & c., many now perform the preparation strudel type, in order for it to be a heavy hand (literally! So much so that in Naples it is said: "Yes, indeed, nu casatiello!" to someone who can hardly swallow a concept …). Here too, a mix of the two versions can be optimal.

And speaking of versions: the casatiello also exists sweet. Along with flour, eggs, sugar, fats – here at pork is better to prefer butter, there is a crucial ingredient is the orange flower water.

And we close our excursion on the Casatiello with a debut. So he began to recite the website dedicated to him: "Easter, Jesus is risen. Everything is beautiful, even if it eats "or casatiello".

Carola Traverso Saibante
April 2019

DISCOVER THE COOKING COURSES OF SALT & PEPE

Salty Befana stocking – Italian Cuisine

Peel and wash the escarole, then let it dry for a couple of minutes in the pot with a little water and the lid.

Drain it well and cut it into pieces.
Prepare a sauté with garlic, oil and chopped anchovies. When the anchovies have melted in the oil, add the escarole.
Let the escarole flavor for about ten minutes, then add the olives cut in half and the capers and let the water dry well.
Finally, season with salt and pepper and let cool.

Overlap the 2 sheets of pastry brisée keeping them separated with a sheet of parchment paper so that they do not stick together, then draw your sock with a sharp blade.
Put aside the scraps of dough, separate the two sheets of brisée and stuffed one of the two stockings, leaving 1-2 cm free along the edges: arrange over the escarole, then add the cheese into pieces.

Gently, take the second sheet of dough and cover the filling, pressing lightly to let the air out.
Then seal the edges well with the prongs of a fork.
Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the stocking. Use the advanced dough to decorate the stocking, brush the decorations and add the poppy seeds to taste.
Bake in preheated oven at 200 ° C for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Once ready, let your Befana stocking warm up before serving.

TAGS: Salted Befana Stocking Recipe | How to prepare stocking of the Befana salata | Stocking of the Befana salata recipe

The pastry brioches are good both salty and sweet – Italian Cuisine

For a snack among children or for a super tasty finger food, the puff pastry brioches are a masterpiece of taste.

Fresh, crumbly, super delicious: le puff pastry brioches bring a touch of French atmosphere in our menu, are perfect to serve as a snack for children, filled with fruit jams or chocolate creams, or finger food if stuffed with meats, cheeses or savory pates. They are prepared in no time, you can do in many versions, always like everyone!

Puff pastry ready: you can!

If you are not a fan of "homemade" and, above all, if you do not have a lot of time available, get yourself guilt-free from the ready-made dough: on the market you will find several types, even gluten free for intolerant people. Better if rectangular, easier to cut and without waste! If instead you want to get your hands in the flour, try this version of puff pastry.

Let's get to work!

Take a rectangle of puff pastry, spread it well on the floured table and divide it in half lengthwise, using a sharp knife. Brush one with a little water, then overlap the two rectangles and divide them into many triangles with base of 8 cm. At this point you are ready for fill your puff pastry brioches, with both sweet and savory fillings. The important thing is not to overdo the filling, because otherwise it would escape. Then remember to arrange the ingredients at the base of the triangle. Once this operation is done, roll the dough to the tip of the triangle and place all the brioches on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Brush with a beaten egg yolk and cook at 180 degrees for 25 minutes, then let it cool a few minutes before serving.

Jams, chocolate, vegetables, meats and creams

To fill the brioches you can really go crazy. For the sweet version you can opt for jams of all tastes or for the classic custard, hazelnut or chocolate. In the case of jam, the filling can be done before cooking, for chocolate, hazelnut or custard creams it is better to stuff the croissants once cooked. If instead you prefer salty taste, the filling should be done after cooking. You can choose from Ham Mousse, of shrimp, of salmon, or cream of cream and champignon, but also avocado and shrimp. All the cold cuts, thinly sliced and accompanied by sauces like mayonnaise, rose sauce or mustard. For those who love cheese, prepare robiola cream with chives or fennel, ricotta and turmeric, or mascarpone and ginger. Vegetables in oil or on the grill complete the chances.

Gordon Ramsay Recipes