Torta di Mele e Pane

If you have left over bread don't throw it away! This very simple recipe makes a tasty and delicious dessert.

We had lots of apples in our garden! I took the picture above in last summer when the apples were still green and not ready to be picked.

So, what did my nonna do with all these apples? Keep reading...

INGREDIENTS
- 5 Apples cut in slices

- 8 tablespoons of butter

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs

- 1/2 spoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of  ground ginger

- Lemon Zest of one lemon

PREPARATION

Set aside one third of the breadcrumbs.

In a bowl, mix the 2/3 breadcrumbs, sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest.

Then add the melted butter and mix everything very well.

Cut the apples cut into very thin slices, add the bread, sugar and butter mixture to the apples and mix well.

Then put the mixture of apples and bread crumbs in a greased baking pan, pressing it well with your hands until it forms a fairly compact layer.

Cover with the breadcrumbs you set aside in the beginning.

Bake in a preheated  oven at 350  for about 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely

Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla  gelato or panna montata as you like!

Valentine Day Cansunziei

Today is snowing and I feel like making these kind of ravioli typical of the Dolomites called "Cansunziei".

This dish remind me of Cortina D'ampezzo, one of the most beautiful places on earth where I was lucky to go on vacation every winter and summer growing up.

And because it is going to be Valentine Day soon, I chose to shape them as hearts.

Hidden between all my cookbooks I found this little wonderful booklet  "La cucina nelle Dolomiti" that helped me create these valentine treats and share them with you.

RED FILLING

• 2  pounds red beets
• 1 cup of Ricotta cheese
• 1 spoonful of Mascarpone
• 1  large egg
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Nutmeg
• RED FILLING DIRECTIONS: Heat oven to 400º. Put beets in a baking dish and roast beets until they can be easily pierced through to the center with a knife or skewer, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Put roasted beets in a food processor and add ricotta cheese, a spoonful of Mascarpone cheese, Parmesan cheese, one egg, salt, nutmeg and pepper; stir to combine. 
• SAUCE

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4  cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Piave cheese
• 3/4  teaspoon poppy seeds
• SAUCE DIRECTIONS: In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat until melted and foamy. Pour butter over pasta, add cheese and toss to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkled with cheese and poppy seeds.

I like to make fresh pasta with my daughter Sofia. She has so much fun and she is learning very fast!

PASTA: fresh pasta contains only three ingredients: flour, salt, and eggs. To make one pound of pasta, you need:

•  2 cups of unbleached flour
•  3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Place the flour on a table in a mound and make a well in the center. Put the eggs and salt into the well. Mix the eggs together with a fork without disturbing the flour. Start with a large, clean work surface. Make a mound of the flour and salt with a well in the middle. Add the eggs to the well, and start stirring with a fork, slowly incorporating all the flour until the dough comes together.

Knead the dough until it is soft and pliable. This might take several minutes. Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting one notch at a time until pasta sheet is about 1/16 inch thick.

Using heart shape cutters like the ones in the picture form the "Cansunziei". 
With a fork, press on the trim of the cansunziei to add detail and seal them.

 Here they are!

Ready to be frozen (up to 3 months) or cooked right away...We could not resist:we cooked them and had them all right away! 


The poppy seeds add crunchiness to this unusual but delicious dish!

 Buon Appetito!

I forgot! With the leftover pasta from the ravioli we made RED SPAGHETTI!