pastry school

It is now a very healthy habit, the one to meet my friends and make together cakes and pies like a sort of pastry school! We try to do even those things we think are impossible to realize. Looking at the unbelievable and satisfied faces in front of the pate de choux, controling the cooking in oven of the little pie, thinking about Giovanni who learns not to break the eggs to find out the code 0, looking at Susanna very precise and concentrated during tempering chocolate, has no price! Valentina always tastes everything, and then learns about pastry cooking... she is very diligent in this. I can't wish for better companions! Great great fun! 

salt cod mousse on polentine and Parmisan coupelles

The challenge of this month is the cod fish, a typical recipe of Livorno, a beautiful town in Italy.  The two requied ingredients were cod fish and tomato, so I decided to assemble them for a very fresh mousse to soften the strong taste of cod fish boiling it in milk and mixing then to ricotta cheese, with the addition of typical little tomatoes called "datterino", similar in the shape to a light bulb. So these are the result: fresh appetizers fit also for the forthcoming Christmas holidays.

salty cake

Today I propose a recipe, that had great success in the last issue of  Open Kitchen Magazine, the salty cake, very simple and quick. 
Serve in slices or chunks accompanied by cheeses, salads, cold cuts.

ready for Christmas? La Torta Italiana by Linda Collister

In a moment in which I strongly desired cookbooks, I bought the one  by Linda Collister Divine Chocolate Cookbook, MY book. It's all brown and gold as the chocolate and nuts: utmost union of love between two of the most libidinous ingredients in the sweets as well generally in food. My attention has been immediately kept by a simple cake, a version of the classic Italian chocolate and nut dessert. A rich dessert wonderful to have ready in the fridge at Christmas time, for our even unexpected guests...in order to keep their mouths busy!