Proud Italian Cook

Purple Plum Torte

September 2, 2014 by Marie 10 Comments

I finally got my hands on some beautiful Italian plums, sometimes called Italian prune plums. I look forward to them each year, but when they become available I know that summer is over, so it’s kind of bitter sweet. Speaking of sweet, I think it’s about time for a dessert showcasing these beauties!

Italian plums are half the size of regular plums and oval shaped. If you were to bite into them you would say they weren’t very juicy but something magical happens when you bake with them, they transform into a sweet/tart jam like consistency, perfect for all your baked goods.

This is an easy to do recipe it has just a few ingredients but the results are fantastic, there’s a reason The New York Times posted it twelve years in a row! You’ll even be amazed how easy it is to prep those little plums, once you slice into them the pit practically falls out by itself, so everything comes together quickly. Don’t worry if you can’t find the smaller Italian plums that I used, the larger ones would work as well.

In no time you’ll have this not too sweet, moist and buttery cake that has the perfect crumb packed with jammy plum flavored goodness to enjoy.

Get that coffee going ASAP!

Recipe adapted from Marian Burros, Elegant but Easy, The Essential NY Times cookbook and Smitten Kitchen

Purple Plum Torte

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
¾ to 1 cup of granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
12 Italian plums, pitted and cut in half ( adjust the amount if using larger plums)
sugar and cinnamon for topping

Instructions

In small bowl, sift first three ingredients.
In larger bowl, cream sugar and butter, until fluffy then add eggs one at a time.
Add flour mixture and beat well.
Spoon the batter into a buttered 9 inch spring form pan.Smooth out the top.
Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter.
Sprinkle top lightly with sugar and cinnamon, about 1 teaspoon of each.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
Cool before cutting.

10 Comments Filed Under: Cakes, Desserts Tagged: Italian plums, plum torte, purple plums

End of Summer Veggie Stacks

August 26, 2014 by Marie 11 Comments

As the end of summer is nearing and our gardens are dying down here’s a fun way to enjoy the last of our summer veggies. You can grill them like I did or roast them in the oven, it doesn’t matter, but for a nice little twist stack them between layers of creamy ricotta flavored with romano cheese, basil and fresh corn kernels.

This could be a colorful appetizer, a light lunch or the perfect side dish next to grilled meats. It doesn’t need to be heated, the veggies are cooked already and besides it’s best served at room temperature anyway.

I was gifted these beauties from my niece’s garden over the weekend and I had some fresh corn on the cob that I wanted to use up, so I grilled everything and started stacking!

I used the sturdy zucchini planks as the base then just layered everything else from that point on, saving the corn planks and kernels for the top. The ricotta mixture will act as the “glue” that will keep everything together and in place.

A good dowse of olive oil and a swipe of rich balsamic glaze adds wonderful flavor and completes the presentation. A fun and a little different way to showcase what’s left of our summer’s bounties!

End of Summer Veggie Stacks

Ingredients

Stick with vegetables that will lay flat, like peppers, eggplant and zucchini. I would not use small mushrooms or something like asparagus.
2 ears of fresh corn, grilled and kernals and planks set aside.
2 cups of ricotta, drained well
¾ cup of grated romano or to taste
a handful of fresh chopped basil
a handful of the fresh kernels, ( reserve most of the planks for the top)
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
balsamic glaze
basil for garnish

Instructions

Grill all your vegetables or roast them if you choose.
Remove kernels and planks from corn.
Stir together in a bowl the ricotta, romano, and basil, then fold in some of those corn kernels. Taste for desired amount of cheese and herbs.
Start with your grilled zucchini planks, then spread the cheese mixture on top, then next layer and repeat.
Use the corn planks for the top along with remaining kernels, everything will stick easily to the ricotta.
Depending on how many veggies you cook or how high you stack them you might need to make more ricotta mixture, this is just an estimate.

11 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers, Side Dishes, Summer, Vegetables Tagged: end of summer, Grilled Veggies, stacked veggies

Baked Eggs in Pepper Cups with Mushrooms, Leeks and Kale

August 19, 2014 by Marie 12 Comments

In case you’re hungry this morning I wanted to leave you with a little something for breakfast. Something easy to make especially if you just cleaned out your fridge like I did. I was left with one leek, a small bunch of kale, a handful of roasted tomatoes and mushrooms and a few colored peppers. So I decided to make baked eggs in pepper cups, and so can you.

Grab some leftover veggies, whatever you have, you won’t need a lot, they can be sautéed, roasted or grilled it doesn’t matter, they’re all good. The main thing you will need is some good sized bell peppers, big enough to pour an egg into along with your veggies, any color pepper will do.

Cut your peppers in half, clean out the membranes so you have lots of room in there and scrape the seeds, then drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place your cleaned out pepper halves into a baking dish drizzled with olive oil then add some cheese on the bottom of each, whatever melts good, I used fontina.

Now take your veggies and place them into the pepper cup, on top of the cheese, leaving room enough to plop an egg in the middle. TIP: crack your egg into a small bowl first, like a ramekin, then gently pour the cracked egg into the pepper cup, the egg white will run so wait a second and let it settle into everything. Bake at 375 degrees F. until peppers are tender and egg sets.

Garnish with extra veggies on top and all around your baking dish, this is great for breakfast or brunch!