italian cooking lessons
Pina’s Lemon Tart
Lots of ways to say ‘pesto’
Cestini con salame Milano e burro al prezzemolo
Savoury bread from Umbria
Golden lamb cutlets
Home made pasta
Pina’s Lemon Tart
Pina used to run a restaurant in Semproniano in Tuscay called ‘Il Mulino’. Sadly she isn’t there any longer but here is her recipe for
Lemon Tart
Filling:
Grated peel of 3 (bio) lemons
200gr lemon juice
500gr water
a but of butter
150gr sugar.
Mix the grated peel with the sugar & add all the ingredients except lemon juice. Put enough gelatine for ½ lt in the slightly warmed lemon juice for 10’. Place covered in the fridge.
Pastry:
500gr flour
200gr butter.
Mix with the fingers till it looks like breadcrumbs & add 150gr sugar,1 whole egg plus 3 yolks. Mix and refrigerate (this will keep in cling paper for 3 days). Roll out the pastry on a board & line a pastry tin. Prick with a fork and cook at 180° for 30’. Cool and fill with the lemon filling, returning to the fridge for 2 hrs.
Lots of ways to say ‘pesto’
Pesto with pistachio
Put the plastic container of a mixer in the fridge for 1 hr to help the basil not to oxidize.
Take 40 leaves basil, 30gr pistachio nuts, olive oil. Add grated parmesan, s & p.
Mix for 15 secs & transfer to a glass bowl adding further oil and cheese till creamy.
Pesto of rucola
Boil some water and throw in two bunches of rucola for 15 seconds, drain, dry and chop.
Mix in a food mixer together with 2 cloves garlic (removing the green heart), 30gr pine nuts (slightly toasted in a pan), & 1 small glass of milk. Add 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 2 tspn parmesan/grana grated cheese, salt to taste.
Pesto of artichokes
Clean 2 artichokes, slice & mix with 2 garlic cloves (removing the green heart), 30 gr pine nuts (slightly toasted in a pan), 1 small glass milk. Add 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 2 spoons grated cheese, salt to taste.
Pesto of broccoli
200 g broccoli
Bring some water to a boil and throw the broccoli in for 2 minutes. Drain. Mix as the recipe above & add some fresh chilli.
Pesto of olives & capers.
150gr seedless green olives.
Mix with majoran, basil, parsley as much as desired, 2 tsp capers (washed and drained), chilli & 5 tbs extra virgin olive oil.
Keep mixing for about 30 secs & add more olive oil & cheese. Salt to taste.
Pesto siciliana
Mix in a food mixer 200gr dried tomatoes (keep in water for 1hr & squeeze dry), 20 basil leaves, some parsley, 40gr pine nuts slightly toasted in a pan, 40 gr ricotta cheese, 30gr pecorino, chilli, some extra virgin olive oil.
Put in a glass bowl, adjust oil and salt.
PESTO of SAGE
Chop 3 handfuls of sage leaves together with 1 clove garlic, 50gr walnuts, 4 spoons grated pecorino/parmemsan, 2 tbs olive oil & a little milk to make the right creamy constituency.
Sun Dried Tomatoe Pesto
Sun dried tomatoes without oil, 3 c Boiling water, Toasted Pine nuts, 2 lg Cloves garlic, 2/3 c Fresh basil leaves, 2 tb Freshly grated Parmesan, 1/4 c Parsley, 3 tb white wine
Put the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1hr till softened. Drain & reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid. Roast the pine nuts in the oven, turning often to avoid burning. Put garlic & nuts in a food processor,add tomatoes,basil,cheese & parsley continuing to process. Add reserved 1/2 cup liquid & wine. Process until blended.Pesto with pistachio
Put the plastic container of a mixer in the fridge for 1 hr to help the basil not to oxidize.
Take 40 leaves basil, 30gr pistachio nuts, olive oil. Add grated parmesan, s & p.
Mix for 15 secs & transfer to a glass bowl adding further oil and cheese till creamy.
Pesto of rucola
Boil some water and throw in two bunches of rucola for 15 seconds, drain, dry and chop.
Mix in a food mixer together with 2 cloves garlic (removing the green heart), 30gr pine nuts (slightly toasted in a pan), & 1 small glass of milk. Add 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 2 tspn parmesan/grana grated cheese, salt to taste.
Pesto of artichokes
Clean 2 artichokes, slice & mix with 2 garlic cloves (removing the green heart), 30 gr pine nuts (slightly toasted in a pan), 1 small glass milk. Add 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 2 spoons grated cheese, salt to taste.
Pesto of broccoli
200 g broccoli
Bring some water to a boil and throw the broccoli in for 2 minutes. Drain. Mix as the recipe above & add some fresh chilli.
Pesto of olives & capers
150gr seedless green olives.
Mix with majoran, basil, parsley as much as desired, 2 tsp capers (washed and drained), chilli & 5 tbs extra virgin olive oil.
Keep mixing for about 30 secs & add more olive oil & cheese. Salt to taste.
Pesto siciliana
Mix in a food mixer 200gr dried tomatoes (keep in water for 1hr & squeeze dry), 20 basil leaves, some parsley, 40gr pine nuts slightly toasted in a pan, 40 gr ricotta cheese, 30gr pecorino, chilli, some extra virgin olive oil.
Put in a glass bowl, adjust oil and salt.
Pesto of sage
Chop 3 handfuls of sage leaves together with 1 clove garlic, 50gr walnuts, 4 spoons grated pecorino/parmemsan, 2 tbs olive oil & a little milk to make the right creamy constituency.
Sun Dried Tomatoe Pesto
Sun dried tomatoes without oil, 3 c Boiling water, Toasted Pine nuts, 2 lg Cloves garlic, 2/3 c Fresh basil leaves, 2 tb Freshly grated Parmesan, 1/4 c Parsley, 3 tb white wine
Put the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1hr till softened. Drain & reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid. Roast the pine nuts in the oven, turning often to avoid burning. Put garlic & nuts in a food processor,add tomatoes,basil,cheese & parsley continuing to process. Add reserved 1/2 cup liquid & wine. Process until blended.Pesto with pistachio
Put the plastic container of a mixer in the fridge for 1 hr to help the basil not to oxidize.
Take 40 leaves basil, 30gr pistachio nuts, olive oil. Add grated parmesan, s & p.
Mix for 15 secs & transfer to a glass bowl adding further oil and cheese till creamy.
Pesto of rucola
Boil some water and throw in two bunches of rucola for 15 seconds, drain, dry and chop.
Mix in a food mixer together with 2 cloves garlic (removing the green heart), 30gr pine nuts (slightly toasted in a pan), & 1 small glass of milk. Add 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 2 tspn parmesan/grana grated cheese, salt to taste.
Pesto of artichokes
Clean 2 artichokes, slice & mix with 2 garlic cloves (removing the green heart), 30 gr pine nuts (slightly toasted in a pan), 1 small glass milk. Add 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 2 spoons grated cheese, salt to taste.
Pesto of broccoli
200 g broccoli
Bring some water to a boil and throw the broccoli in for 2 minutes. Drain. Mix as the recipe above & add some fresh chilli.
Pesto of olives & capers.
150gr seedless green olives.
Mix with majoran, basil, parsley as much as desired, 2 tsp capers (washed and drained), chilli & 5 tbs extra virgin olive oil.
Keep mixing for about 30 secs & add more olive oil & cheese. Salt to taste.
Pesto siciliana
Mix in a food mixer 200gr dried tomatoes (keep in water for 1hr & squeeze dry), 20 basil leaves, some parsley, 40gr pine nuts slightly toasted in a pan, 40 gr ricotta cheese, 30gr pecorino, chilli, some extra virgin olive oil.
Put in a glass bowl, adjust oil and salt.
PESTO of SAGE
Chop 3 handfuls of sage leaves together with 1 clove garlic, 50gr walnuts, 4 spoons grated pecorino/parmemsan, 2 tbs olive oil & a little milk to make the right creamy constituency.
Sun Dried Tomatoe Pesto
Sun dried tomatoes without oil, 3 c Boiling water, Toasted Pine nuts, 2 lg Cloves garlic, 2/3 c Fresh basil leaves, 2 tb Freshly grated Parmesan, 1/4 c Parsley, 3 tb white wine
Put the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1hr till softened. Drain & reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid. Roast the pine nuts in the oven, turning often to avoid burning. Put garlic & nuts in a food processor,add tomatoes,basil,cheese & parsley continuing to process. Add reserved 1/2 cup liquid & wine. Process until blended.
Cestini con salame Milano e burro al prezzemolo
Ingredienti
1 confezione di pasta sfoglia
2 spicchi d’aglio
4 cucchiai di maionese
100 g di salame Milano
100 g di burro salato
Tagliate la pasta sfoglia e foderate gli stampini da forno che avrete precedentemente imburrato, poi cuocete a forno preriscaldato a 180° per circa 10 minuti, quindi toglieteli e lasciateli raffreddare completamente prima di togliere le barchette dagli stampini. Tritate il prezzemolo finissimo e amalgamatelo con il burro che avrete fatto ammorbidire. Riempite le barchette con il composto, un poco di maionese e le fettine di salame tagliate a striscioline e lasciatele riposare in frigo prima di servirle.
Savoury bread from Umbria
100 g already risen bread dough
25 g fresh yeast
200 g grated Parmesan cheese
100 g pecorino or Gruyère cheese
6 eggs2 egg yolks100 g lard
55 g extra virgin olive oil
100 g unsalted butters & p
Melt the risen bread dough in a cup of warm water and add to the flour, mixing thoroughly keeping soft and light. Cover and allow to rest in a warm place until double the size.
Mix eggs, butter, lard, olive oil & parmesan, s & p in a small saucepan,warm slightly in a bainmarie & mix with the risen dough together with rest of cheese cut into small pieces.
Work with your hands as for bread & knead on a floured surface until smooth.
Lightly oil bread pans and fill up to half. Leave to rise & bake for 1hr at 200° until the top is a golden colour.
Golden lamb cutlets
600gr lamb cutlets
2 eggs
grated bread crumbs
oil for the pan
p & s
some flour
grated pecorino cheese
Mix the flour and grated breadcrumb, add lemon and pecorino. Beat the cutlets slightly and emerge in the beaten egg and then the grated mixture. Fry in a deep frying pan adding some salvia leaves on a slow fire for about 5 minutes each side until the meat is ‘golden’.
Add the salt only just before serving.
Home made pasta
Through the changing seasons enjoy a hands-on lesson. Francesca guides you through traditional italian recipes. Learn how to make gnocchi, stewed roman artichokes, fried zucchini flowers, tiramisu and saltimboca alla Romana or whatever the menu of the day is.
Evening classes can be arranged and you are welcome to invite guests for the meal.
A fun time to enjoy a communal experience and eat what you cook!
Furthermore if there is something specific you would like to learn we would be happy to help.