coyright 2010 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

La Befana is almost here or as tradition goes she should be ‘flying’ by on her broomstick sometime before dawn tomorrow morning, the 6th of January. And the streets are bustling with cars and people whizzing by.. under my office window here in the center of town. Fireworks can be heard from far and near signaling the last day of a long, (seemingly) never ending 12 day Holiday feast.
Tomorrow’s mid day meal will be just as special as the rest of  the Holidays. While the day after Chrsitmas was a day for ‘recupaerating’ from all the preaparations. People are anxious to  use up all their  leftovers on that day. But we have  had a few days of relaxation from the big feast on New Year’s Day so another feast is in order.

La Befana vien di notte (the Befana comes in the night)

con le scarpe tutte rotte (with tattered shoes)

con cappelle  alla Romana (A Roman style hat)

VIVA VIVA LA BEFANA! (Long Live La Befana)

Torta Principe Eugenio (Prince Eugenio’s Cake)

6 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate (containing at least 60% cocoa)

1 1/2 cups crushed almonds

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter

6 eggs

1 tablespoon rum

1 tablespoon brandy

butter for pan

Topping

2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 tablespoon sugar

2 ounces milk chocolate

½ cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

Beat softened butter,sugar and egg yolks until creamy. Melt chocolate in double boiler or microwave. Add the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture,then add in ground almonds,brandy and rum.

Beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Fold into the egg yolk mixture gently till well blended.. Butter and flour an 8″  cake pan and bake for 35 minutes in oven at 350 degrees.

Remove from oven. Leaving a 1 /12 “ border around cake, cut out some of  the interior cake , to make about ¼ cup of crumbs. Place crumbs in oven on cookie sheet  to dry and become crisp, set aside., to use as crumble on topping.

Cook raspberries and sugar over low heat for 2 minutes let sugar melt. Let cool. Place whipping cream and vanilla, sugar in bowl. Whip cream till peaks form, add in grated chocolate. Place cooled raspberry mixture in cavity of cake made from digging out crumbs. Top with whipped cream mixture in center of raspberries. Sprinkle with cake crumbs on top of whipped cream and serve.

 For more great Holiday recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd editon

The Following Review was just published by ForeWord Reviews at www.ForeWordreviews.com

copyright ForeWord Reviews

COOKING

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions —Second Edition

Maria Liberati

Art of Living, Prima Media

Softcover $24.95 (236pp)

978-1-928911-19-7

This is the second edition of the second book in Maria Liberati’s Basic Art of Italian Cooking series: The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions. This book focuses on cooking for celebrations, and its first edition won the 2009 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for Best Italian Cuisine Book in the US A. It will surely be a celebrated addition to any foodie’s kitchen shelf. The book moves through the yearly calendar of holidays, beginning with Christmas Eve, a meal often celebrated in the United States. Liberati moves on to the lesser- known Feast of the Seven Fishes, a sumptuous Christmas Day meal, a celebratory New Year’s Eve and Day, La Befana, Valentine’s Day, and Carnevale (a feast rooted in Italian Roman

history). The author has assigned each festive occasion a few recipes for each course: appetizers,

first course, second course, desserts, and even beverages. Recipes each receive their own page, with Italian dish names translated into English for an American audience. At times, helpful tips related to food or table presentation are inserted along the bottom of the page.

The book’s straightforwardness and charisma comes as much from its tone as it s format of condensed, manageable ‘holiday’ chapters. In each section, the author introduces readers to the origins and significance of the meal by giving an anecdote from her own family experiences in her house in Italy. These stories lend a personal warmth, authenticity, and simplicity that

making readers feel that they might be in an Italian country house, chatting with extended family

members while the meal is being prepared. The recipes themselves are written simply, without jargon, and are accessible to cooks just beginning to dabble in authentic Italian cuisine. Liberati has also thoughtfully included a combined glossary and index of sorts in the rear, to help readers

navigate the many Italian words throughout the book. The only thing left wanting in this volume is the occasional photograph of a dish, either finished or in progress, which would be especially helpful to the novice cook.

When the holidays roll around, Liberati’s book might be a wonderful gift book for that gourmet chef in your life or the student of food culture, or for your own enjoyment. (July 2010) Gabriela Worrel

Review date: October 2010.

Get Your copy of the Book selected as The Best Italian Cuisine Book in the USA- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

October 27th-11 AM –the !10 Show NBC TV – cooking segment from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking : Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

October 29th-31st- The Gourmet Food & Wine Show at the Valley Forge Convention Center-culinary book signing with Christina of Christina Cooks! and Fabio from the Food Network.

November 2nd- Fair Lakes Pubic Library, Fair Lakes, NJ-Culinary Book signing and sampling of recipes

December 4th- Borders, Princeton, NJ- 1 PM

For more info on upcoming appearances email :events@marialiberati.com

Visit OpenSky

Take a trip right from your own computer over to open sky to see the new design of my store with all the interesting products I have  found for those that enjoy The Basic Art of Italian Cooking. Please let me know how you like the new design and let me know if there are any products you would like to see or those you may be looking for. Visit here http://tinyurl.com/ygtqgcm

 There is this  saying in Italy ”E Dolce Far Niente”, in English it means ‘How sweet it is to do nothing’. It is a difficult phrase  for a ‘hyperactive’ person like me to understand unless I am  in Italy…

 Yesterday was the last day of the Christmas Holiday season here known as La Befana or the Epiphany.  It was a day to appreciate that aforementioned saying..filled with going out for a stroll for a morning cappuccino..then coming home and spending time preparing the 2 pounds of  fresh broccoli rabe   I bought from  an outdoor farm market  yesterday. My intention was to add it to  a Holiday  lunch of polenta with broccoli rabe and fontina cheese melted on top. But broccoli rabe takes some time to clean and cook…. and in between the waiting there is a lot of relaxing and sitting and drinking another espresso and watching  and relaxing and chatting and a lot of ‘doing nothing’ but waiting for the broccoli rabe to hurry up and cook and be tender. Anyway, here is the recipe we had for lunch and the rest of the day was spent relaxing in front of the fireplace..and yes it is so sweet to just ‘do nothing..You must try it sometime..

Polenta with Broccoli Rabe and Fontina Cheese

2 pounds of fresh Broccoli Rabe-cleaned

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

2 small dried red hot peppers

pinch of salt

1 cup of cornmeal

8 ounces of fontina cheese

Wash and clean broccoli rabe, cutting off the bottom, hard part. Place in boiling water and cook till tender- about 30-40 minutes. Drain well. Place olive oil in saute pan with garlic cloves and dried red hot peppers (pepperoncini). Saute for about 30 seconds. Chop cooked broccoli rabe  and place in saute pan with olive oil. Place in approx 1/2 cup water. Saute for approximately 15 minutes.

Cook polenta as directed on package. Place polenta in oven proof dishes. Place broccoli rabe in center of polenta, place grated fontina cheese on top of broccoli rabe, place a drizzle of olive oil on top and place under broiler till fontina cheese is bubbly..

You may want to have a  simple dessert like a piece of handmade chocolates  after this dish..

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria