Torta di nocciole (Hazelnut Cake)

Mmmm. Yeah, I took a bite out of it already.. sorry it isn't the best food shot!

Torta di nocciole (Hazelnut Cake)
Can be served with Moscato D’asti

1 Tb baking powder
3 eggs, separated
200g (7oz) sugar
125g (4oz) butter, melted and cooled
200g flour
200g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped (stick ‘em in the blender!)
grated rind of 1 lemon
4 Tb milk

Beat baking powder with the egg yolks, add the sugar, butter, flour, hazelnuts, lemon rind and milk, and mix thoroughly. Beat the egg whites until stiff, then gently fold into the mixture. Pour into a buttered, floured 8in cake tin and bake in the over at 180°C (350°F) for 35 minutes* or until browned and a skewer comes out almost dry.

Traditionally this is a breakfast cake that you can serve with powdered sugar and yes, even the Moscato D’asti wine. However…. it is also quite tasty as a dessert with a quick homemade chocolate sauce. Just melt a chocolate bar (70-75% is good) with about 4 tablespoons of milk in a double boiler and there you have it. Drizzle or pour on your cake.., and enjoy!

*Marco, my Food & Wine teacher, had us bake ours in 2 cake tins and only for 20 minutes. They came out absolutely perfect. I attempted to reproduce the cake in my apartment this last week and baked it for 40 minutes.. the center was still gooey because I used the wrong pan to bake it in. Regardless, it was to die for!

Potato Gnocchi with Sugo al Pomodoro

The gnocchi is ready to be cooked!

Potato Gnocchi [NYO-kee]
(soft Italian pasta made of potatoes)
Yield: 4 servings

1kg of white potatoes
80g of flour (*type ’00′)
40g cornstarch
30g durum-wheat flour
3 egg yolks
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Wash and dry the potatoes. Line a baking sheet with oiled parchment paper, sprinkle with coarse salt and add the potatoes. Bake in a preheateed oven at 160° C(325° F) for 45-50 minutes depending upon the size of the potatoes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Peel the potatoes and using a ricer mash the potatoes on a lightly floured marble table or in a stainless steel bowl. Gather the potatoes into a mound and make a hole in the middle, Incorporate the remaining ingredients in the hole. knead the potato dough very quickly so that it does not become sticky (for about 5 minutes); add flour as necessary.

Divide the dough into pieces and, on a floured surface, roll pastry into a thick string and cut into smaller pieces (about the size of the first digit of the thumb or 2cm). Be sure to cut the gnocchi the same size so that they cook evenly. Roll each gnocchi in the palm of the hand using the back of a fork then pinch slightly between thumb and index finger to puff (the fork indentations serve to better hold the sauce). Lightly flour prepared gnocchi so the don’t stick to each other.

Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water in small batches, 2-3 minutes; remove from water with a skimming ladle. Serve immediately with sauce.

I copied the words exactly from the recipe our chef gave us so it’s a bit goofy english.. Something he forgot to add was that when the gnocchi floats to the top of the water, it is done cooking. Also, you can add a little olive oil to the water so the gnocchi doesn’t stick together in the pot!

*Italians have a different way of naming their “farina”/flour. According to Joe Pastry, type ’00′ is pretty close to our all-purpose flour.

The sauce is a-cookin!

Sugo al Pomodoro (Tomato Pasta Sauce)
Yeild: 4 servings

2 cans (800g each) peeled tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 medium carrot minced
1 medium stalk celery, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Break up the tomatoes with either the hands or a knife.

Pour enough olive oil into a large sauce pan to cover the bottom (about 1cm deep).

Add the onion, carrot and celery to the oil and cook over medium-high heat until the onion is soft and begins to brown.

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste; stir with a wooden spoon.

Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for about 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Check flavour after about 5 minutes and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Our chefs, Roberto and Fabrizio, cooking all the gnocchi.. There were 20 of us at different stations (4 at each station) in the kitchen so it was easier just to cook it all together!