Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [72]
Press tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to remove seeds. Stir tomato pulp into veal mixture. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1 to 1½ hours or until sauce reaches a medium-thick consistency; stir occasionally during cooking. Add milk and cook 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
Salsa Agrodolce
A classic Bolognese sauce, this dates back to the sixteenth century.
MAKES ½ CUP
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Mix tomato paste and water in a small bowl. Melt butter with oil in a small saucepan over low heat. When butter foams, add parsley and garlic. Sauté until garlic begins to color. Stir in flour and sugar. Stir in vinegar and diluted tomato paste; mix until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
PLAIN TOMATO SAUCE
Salsa di Pomodoro Semplice
Many recipes in this book will need some of this sauce.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (28-oz.) can crushed Italian-style tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Press tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to remove seeds. Add tomato pulp to saucepan. Simmer uncovered 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Desserts
here is no doubt most Italians would rather miss dessert than a first course. After all, at the end of an Italian meal you don’t have room for a rich dessert. Fresh fruit, on the other hand, will refresh the palate and end the meal on a pleasant, light note.
For centuries, Italy has produced some of the best desserts in Europe. Anyone who has walked through Italian cities and looked at pastry shops will agree. Rich and elaborate desserts are generally store-bought and served on special occasions. On Sundays, many families go to pastry shops to buy paste miste, assorted pastries to complete the Sunday meal.
Italy also has an incredible number of less complicated desserts called dolci casalinghi, family cakes. These are usually items like jam or fruit tarts or fruit cakes. They are simple to make and do not involve difficult techniques. Most keep well for several days and are not overly sweet. When an unexpected guest arrives, a slice of moist apple cake or crisp walnut pie is served with the ritual cup of espresso coffee.
Many families have their own version of a particular cake.The recipe is handed down from generation to generation and the cake is considered a showpiece. Generally this cake is prepared for a family celebration or a religious holiday.
Because elaborate desserts do not play an important role in Italian home cooking, most desserts in this chapter are easy to make. A few require a little more skill and patience.
In 1960, I arrived in the United States as the young bride of an American doctor. I was suddenly faced with desserts served at the end of almost every meal. In spite of the rich Bolognese cuisine, I never had had a weight problem. So I enthusiastically explored these new, rich and creamy desserts. Of all the desserts, my favorite was American apple pie. I had apple pie every day, sometimes twice a day, sometimes with ice cream on top. And slowly I began to grow—sideways. I finally realized that all my clothes were too small and decided to weigh myself. I was 20 pounds overweight. Apple pie did what pasta couldn’t.
It is important to know what kind of dessert to serve on specific occasions. For a formal, elegant dinner choose an impressive dessert. In doing so, keep in mind the dinner that precedes it. Decide on a dessert that will complement it.
You should also keep in mind the season. In spring and summer, lighter desserts are preferable, such