Tag: star

MasterChef 13, who is Alex Atala, the Brazilian star chef – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

He will be a special guest on the new episode of MasterChef Alex Atala, eclectic and exuberant Brazilian chefright now that the time has come for the first skill test of the season.

Who is Alex Atala?

Born to Palestinian parents of Irish descent, he opened his own restaurant in Sao Paulo Sun («Deo Optimo Maximo), which has received two Michelin stars and is in 33rd place among the 50 Best Restaurants of Latin America. As a teenager he was fascinated by punk rock culture and for some time he DJed: the idea of becoming a chef never even crossed his mind.

Once he arrived in Europe, however, he decided to enroll in a cooking school. At first, European cuisine, especially Italian, French and Spanish, did not excite him. «The first time I ate caviar, truffles and foie gras I didn’t like them, he said. And I thought: if here in Europe they enjoy these things, who knows what we can come up with using them the unique ingredients we have in our Amazon rainforest. His European experience has allowed him to acquire a deep knowledge of culinary techniques and ingredients used in international cuisine.

The love of insects

And so, with his wealth of experience and knowledge, when he returned to Brazil, Alex Atala wanted to «translate thatpride in being local which I had learned in Europe, and opened Dom, which quickly gained global fame thanks to its innovative interpretation of Brazilian cuisine, which uses local ingredients in creative and original ways. And yes, even insects, which he has introduced into his gastronomic creations, exploring creative ways to include them in his recipes. He mainly uses Amazonian ants. «When you taste them, you go on a roller coaster, the flavor is of lemongrass and ginger, he explained. «I couldn’t believe it and I fell in love with it. Of course, it’s not easy to look at an ant and put it in your mouth, because we have to dismantle every preconception we grew up with.”

Atala considers insects one protein source nutritionally rich and sustainablewith a lower environmental impact compared to other traditional proteins. One of the chef’s characteristics, in fact, is his great attention to sustainability and environmental conservation: Atala has worked hard with producers and farmers to preserve biodiversity and encourage environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

MasterChef will pay homage to the Amazon with a hymn to the flavors and products of his country. And, just like him, the competitors will each have to be able to compose their own palette and create the right shades of color.

Pandoro star with mascarpone – Italian Cuisine

First, whip the cream, cold from the fridge.

Separately, work the mascarpone with the sugar, then gently add the cream as well, with a movement from the bottom up.

Cut off the top of the pandoro, about 10 cm from the base, then dig out the crumb leaving a shell of a couple of cm.

Prepare the syrup by bringing the water with sugar and orange peel to a boil and lightly wet the pandoro.
Using a pastry bag, stuff the pandoro with the cream, trying to fill the corners of the star well, then let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
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The mascarpone pandoro star is ready: wait for the last moment to decorate it with fresh berries and icing sugar (but you can also use unsweetened cocoa, chocolate chips, dried fruit or whatever you like).

Christmas Star Recipe – Italian Cuisine – Italian Cuisine

Let yourself be conquered by the magic of the holidays and prepare these delicious frosted Christmas stars

Ingredients

360 g powdered sugar
150 g almond flour
125 g flour
70 g egg whites (about 2)
50 g hazelnut flour
50 g granulated sugar
cinnamon powder
salt

Duration: 50 min

Level: Easy

Doses: 30 pieces

Jumbled up flour with granulated sugar, 80 g of powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of cinnamon; then add the egg whites and mix.
Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper sprinkled with icing sugar and roll it out to 1 cm thick.
Cut it out with star molds and bake the biscuits at 150 ° C for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool.
Jumbled up 280 g of powdered sugar with 6 tablespoons of cold water forming a smooth and shiny glaze. Transfer it to a disposable pastry bag, cutting a very small hole to draw a precise outline of the icing on the cookies; then widen the cut and cover the stars with the icing with the help of a toothpick to distribute it evenly; alternatively, dip the cookies in the icing or brush them.
Storage: closed in an airtight box, placed in a cool place, they keep for 10 days.