Bottega - Michael Chiarello [79]
I’ve learned to do the same thing at home. After dinner, we always walk away from the table and take an hour or so before we come back to dessert. We clear the table and replace the silver and glassware. This fresh stage offers an opportunity to fully appreciate the dessert, whether it’s a lavish chocolate creation or a simple bowl of fruit.
The desserts at Bottega are beautifully conceived and crafted, true testaments to the pastry chef’s art. Working with the person responsible for them, Bottega’s pastry chef Michael Glissman, has been a true honor. Michael practically grew up in his grandmother’s restaurant in Bancroft, Nebraska, a diner called Mou’s Place. “It wasn’t fancy,” Michael says. “Mou’s was a blue-plate-special kind of a place. My grandmother, Marion Redding, was known for her hot beef and her pies.” Michael worked there with his aunts, uncles, and cousins and remembers opening the diner at 4 A.M. for hunters’ breakfasts, and nights when his family had to sleep on beds in the diner’s basement because the snow was too deep for them to drive back to the family farm. He brings this all-hours mind-set to Bottega, along with his extraordinary skill and an infectious sense of humor (every kitchen can use a dose of humor like Michael’s).
The desserts I make at home fall more on the rustic side. When my Italian family made desserts, they centered around the fresh fruit. One of my favorite desserts could not be simpler: a bowl of fresh berries (or whichever fruit is at peak), and crisp little crostini that take about 5 minutes to make. Whenever I cook this one, the kids are happy, the grown-ups are happy, and the cook is happy, too.
Siamo alla Frutta (Simple Fruit Bowl with Sweet Crostini)
White Chocolate–Lavender Panna Cotta with Madeira-Rhubarb Pappardelle
Strawberry Tiramisù Semifreddo (“Half-Frozen”)
Biscotti with Pistachios, Dark Chocolate, and Fennel Seeds
Semolina Almond Torte with Limoncello Figs
Molten Chocolate Cakes with Hazelnut Crème Anglaise
Three Tartufi (Chocolate Truffles)
Balsamico Tartufi (Basil Truffles)
Parmesan Tartufi (Parmesan Truffles)
Sage-Pancetta-Brandy Tartufi
Siamo alla Frutta (Simple Fruit Bowl with Sweet Crostini)
SERVES 6
Siamo alla frutta means “We are at the fruit.” For Italians, this means we’ve reached the end of the meal, which usually means fruit of some sort. For my money, you can’t beat a bowl full of summer fruit that’s as close to just-picked as it can be. You can use any fruit you like for this as long as it’s soft and ripe. This is the dessert to make when you go berry picking or have a friend drop by with home-grown figs that are still warm from the sun.
Count on a cup to a cup and a half of fruit per person. The surprise with this fruit bowl is the sweet crostini. Made from any artisan or country-style bread that’s sliced very thinly, the crostini are covered with softened butter, generously sprinkled with sugar, and broiled. Don’t go easy on the sugar. What makes these crostini so good is all the sugar and butter melting into a puddle under the bread slices so they finish with a clear, beautiful sugar coating on both sides. If you’re making this for breakfast, a sprinkle of cinnamon would not be out of place.
You can pour on the strawberry syrup or skip this step, depending on your mood. This may be one of the easiest recipes in the book, but I’ll bet you come back to it again and again.
Wine Pairing: Moscato di Asti or Birbèt (also known as Brachetto)
SWEET CROSTINI
Six ¼-inch-thick slices country-style bread, sliced in half, or 12 to 18 baguette slices
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
6 to 9 cups fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, olallieberries, or figs, or 6 to 9 cups peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches or other stone fruit
1½ cups heavy cream, chilled
Strawberry sauce
FOR THE CROSTINI: Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the broiler to 450°F. Slather each