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| Recipes for the Whole Year |
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Carnival week is here. The word
Carnival probably derives from the Latin carnem levare literally
remove flesh. Indeed, during Lent, for religious reasons, it
was forbidden to eat meat and Lent starts immediately after
Carnival. It is one way of remembering "to enjoy oneself and
let off steam now before the period of penitence starts." Carnival
was originally the time of bingeing, a welcome stage prior to
the forthcoming pangs of hunger one would feel throughout the
fasting of Lent. Its main dishes are therefore, delightful and
tempting and include gluttonous puddings that literally make
your mouth water. Part of this tradition are potato gnocchi
(dumplings), a major feature at the Verona Carnival, sweet fritters
called in many different ways according to region in Italy,
tortelli and fritelle.
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Milan style tortelli
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275 g./10 oz. white flour - 120 g./4 oz. butter - 75 g./ 2 1/2 oz. castor sugar - 2 g./pinch baking soda - 10 eggs - powdered icing sugar - oil or lard for frying - 1 lemon - 1/5 liter/ 1/2 pt. milk - rum - piece of cinnamon - pckt. vanilla.
Pour the milk into a casserole dish, add water, gram of salt, baking soda, sugar with vanilla, butter, lemon zest and cinnamon. Place recipient over flame and bring to boil. Remove lemon zest and cinnamon, remove from heat and pour in the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon. Place over heat again and gently stir for about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to come away from the sides of the recipient. Leave the mixture, which should be hard and smooth, to cool off a bit, stirring every so often. Gradually add eight whole eggs and two yolks, adding one egg only when the previous one is thoroughly incorporated in the mix. Add rum for flavor. Cover the mixture with greased paper and leave to stand for a few hours. Heat the oil or lard and with the aid of a teaspoon, drop in the pasta molded into lots of pieces about size of cherry. The tortelli will inflate and will turn round on their own. When they have turned large and golden place them on grease-proof paper and keep them hot whilst the others are being fried. Sprinkle with castor sugar or dip slightly in custard and serve.
N.B. Ingredients are given for 4 portions.
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| Cuvé
di Pinot
Santa Margherita
Dry white, from white Pinot
and Pinot Grigio Veneto vines. Fragrant bouquet that evokes
green apples; sharp, dry taste.
Serve at:
8°-10° C.
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