Crema di funghi e marroni

Chestnut trees, a significant feature of the hill and mountain landscape around my hometown of Conegliano up to 2000-2300 ft, provide two types of fruit, the larger, more highly prized marroni and chestnuts.  Always popular in rural culture for their high nutritive and energy-giving value, they are still eaten here in the autumn, boiled or roasted and also used for sweets and honey; dried, they become the traditional "stracaganasse".  Every year in October,  Combai (a little village near Conegliano) is host to a very popular chestnut festival. Here is a simple recipe, perfect for the fall:

INGREDIENTS   

Extra vergine olive oil
sale e pepe (salt and pepper)
garlic
parsley
water
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 pound of fresh mushrooms
4 leeks
300 g of marroni (chestnuts)
100 g of chestnut's flower
1 glass di vino rosso (red wine)Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION 

Boil the chestnuts in salted water and take the shell off when they are cold. Proceed with preparing a base of thinly sliced ​​leeks, which will then gently fry in extra virgin olive oil. Chop the mushrooms and brown in the pan where you cooked the leeks with a clove of garlic and the parsley. Slice the peeled chestnuts and add to the mushrooms. Add now the previously toasted chestnut flour. Bring water to boil and add the cream. Finally, pour a glass of red wine, leaving everything to simmer with the lid on for a while. In the last few minutes you can add a handful of grated cheese, and more olive oil.

Note: Chestnut flour is a grayish-tan alternative to regular all-purpose flour made from ground chestnuts. Its sweet flavor makes it a favorite ingredient for recipes involving almonds,chocolate, honey, and hazelnuts. A gluten-free product, chestnut flour is a cooking option for people with celiac disease or other gluten intolerances or allergies.

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!