Cucina DiBella

Salame Dolce

Salame Dolce, or sweet salami, is a fun dessert to bring out around the holidays.  It basically consists of a chocolate batter that is rolled into a salami shape.  Crushed cookies are mixed into the batter to look like the fat laced throughout real salami.  This is delicious on it's own, but to give it a little more depth, top it with whipped cream and fresh berries.  The real beauty of this dessert is that it is frozen.  It's the perfect thing to keep in the freezer to have on hand whenever you need a dessert in a pinch!

 

Salame Dolce

Adapted from Food Network - Mario Batali

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks (Use the egg whites to make these Brutti ma Buoni cookies!)

1/2 cup sugar

9 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons unsalted cocoa powder

1 ounce amaretto liquor

1 1/4 cups crushed cookies (almond biscotti works best)

Whipped cream

Fresh berries

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until it looks like cake batter.
2. Add the butter, whisking to incorporate.  When fully combined, add the cocoa powder, whisking to incorporate.  Whisk in the Amaretto.  Finally, add the cookies.  As the batter becomes thick, switch from a whisk to a spoon.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic and place in the refrigerator for 1/3 hour. This will help to shape the batter later.
4. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and place the dough onto a clean work surface.  Mold into a log shape about 2 inches in diameter.  Wrap in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
5. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer. Cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick.  Top with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Ryan's rating of Salame Dolce - 5. Not bad for a back-up dessert!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it. 

 

Cioccolato Caldo

As decadent and rich as any cookie, cioccolate caldo, or Italian hot chocolate, is a delicious treat for the holidays or really any time the temperature dips below 60.  Unlike the hot chocolate that you find in the U.S., Italian hot chocolate is made with real dark chocolate, a novel concept.  Incredibly thick, it is a challenge to drink a full glass. If it's too much for you, add more milk to thin the hot chocolate out.  For depth of flavor, add a pinch of chili powder. Or, follow my lead and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a peppermint stick.  Use the peppermint stick to stir the drink, infusing it with a hint of mint throughout.  Here's to staying warm!

 
Cioccolato Caldo

Serves 2-4 (depending on whether you serve this as a full cup each or a half cup each)

Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups milk

4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Whipped cream topping

2-4 peppermint sticks

Procedure:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and 1/2 cup of milk.  Whisk until there are no clumps and the sugar has melted completely. 
2. Bring to a boil and add the remaining milk.  Stir well.  Heat until the milk is steaming, but not boiling.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the dark chocolate.  Whisk to help melt the chocolate.  Once the chocolate is incorporated, divide between mugs. 
4. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a peppermint stick to each mug, stirring the peppermint stick to incorporate the flavor in the drink.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Cioccolato Caldo - Ryan didn't try this one, but for what it's worth, my very biased rating is a 4.5. 

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it. 

 

Italian Anise Cookies

Anise is a popular ingredient in Italy, in food and particularly in drinks.  Licorice can be hit or miss with most people, and I tend to fall on the miss side.  Still, these cookies are wonderful.  They have a strong, but not overbearing licorice flavor to them that makes them stand out from the normal butter or sugar cookies.  If you don't think you or your family or friends would like anise flavored cookies, feel free to substitute the anise extract with almond extract or vanilla extract.  Any of these choices will make for a delicious holiday cookie that is sure to please!

 

Italian Anise Cookies

Adapted from Woman's Day

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cups sugar

8 tablespoons melted butter

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon anise extract

2 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Nonpareils

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine the sugar, butter, eggs, 1/4 cup milk, and 1/2 teaspoon anise extract in a bowl.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Place 1 inch round balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake for 10 minutes until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.  The tops of the cookies won't have browned.
6. Place on a rack to cool. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons milk, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon anise extract in a bowl.  Whisk to incorporate all of the sugar. 
7. When cooled, dip the top of each cookie in the glaze.  Sprinkle with the nonpareils before the glaze sets.  Place on wax paper to dry.

Ryan's rating of Italian Anise Cookies - 5.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

 

Cartellate (Honey Pinwheels)

Ah, the holidays. Time for sugar cookies, gingerbread, and...Cartellate? If you're in Italy, that last cookie, also known as Honey Pinwheels, may be the only one you recognize in that list.  Like most holidays in Italy, there are certain desserts made at Christmas.  Cartellate is just one of them.  Over the next few weeks I'll be bringing you 12 days of Italian Christmas Cookies...or as many as I can whip out before Christmas!

This first Italian Christmas cookie, Cartellate, or Honey Pinwheels, are a typical treat from Puglia (heel of the boot).  The cookie itself is not very sweet at all; instead, they give off just a hint of cinnamon with the honey taking center stage.  For mine, I used my mom's homemade peach honey, and it was absolutely wonderful.  That extra flavor from the peaches were a great addition even if peach isn't a typical Christmas flavor. 

When forming the pinwheels themselves, have a little fun! You can do straightforward spirals, crimp the edges, bend the top edges out to look like a flower, anything!  Enjoy yourself!

 

Cartellate (Honey Pinwheels)

Adapted from Mangia Bene Pasta

Makes 2-3 dozen (depending on pinwheel size and thinness of dough)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or Amaretto liquor)

1/2 cup water

Vegetable oil (for frying)

1/2 cup honey

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, olive oil, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.  Begin to add water slowly, a little at a time.  Combine thoroughly between each pour.   You may need a little more or less water, so be sure to add it in small amounts.  You need to add only enough so that the dough sticks together.  Form the dough into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit for one hour.
2. Cut the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough out very thinly to about 1/16 of an inch.  If you have one, a pasta roller may be the easiest way to do this.
3. Cut the dough into strips about 10 inches by 1 1/2 inches. If you have a fluted pastry cutter, use this.  Fold the strips in half, but do not press shut.  With the open edges facing up, roll the strips into loose spirals.  Press the edges to seal.  (You can see the ones that I didn't seal well enough, but remember - have fun with this part!)
4. Let the spirals sit for about an hour so they just begin to dry.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot over medium heat.  Once hot, fry the spirals a few at a time.  When golden brown, remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain.
6. Heat the honey in a pot over medium low heat.  You want the honey to turn to liquid, but not boil.  Once it is a thin liquid, drizzle over the pinwheels.

Ryan's rating of Cartellate - 4

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.