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Torta Caprese

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Torta Caprese

Torta Caprese

Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate; I vowed to eat it everyday and in one form or another, I do. I absolutely ADORE dark chocolate and now that the medical field has found it healthy, I have a guilt-free addiction. Life is so good!

Probably like many of you, I have a bunch of gluten-free friends and coming up with yummy desserts that taste good aren’t always the easiest feat for me (I do make pasta for a living afterall). So when I played around with a recipe of a “torta caprese”, translation, chocolate and almond cake, which I learned in my beloved Italy, and it tasted good, I was completely jazzed!

For those of you who don’t know what torta caprese is, it’s this delicious chocolate almond cake from the island of Capri (doesn’t that fact just make you want to indulge)? The torta, it is a simple cake and was first created by the hospitality industry of the island primarily for tourists. It is traditional to the area and makes for a wonderful story to tell when you serve this little bit of chocolate heaven.

I usually top it with powdered sugar because I love a rustic looking cake but if you feel so compelled, I think whip cream would work beautifully especially with a little orange flower water or lemon zest.

So, when you feel like escaping for dessert in Capri, prepare this tort and transport yourself to the island….

Torta Caprese
 
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Ingredients
  • 10.5 Ounces - Dark Chocolate
  • 6 - Large Eggs, Separated
  • 1¾ + ⅛ Cup - Sugar
  • 1½ tsp. - Vanilla Extract
  • 1¾ + ⅛ Cup of Almond Flour
  • 10.5 Ounces of Butter, Melted & Cooled
  • Powdered Sugar for Dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. and lightly grease a 9 inch spring form pan.
  2. In a double broiler over medium heat, melt chocolate and butter together. Stir and remove from heat.
  3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla extract until pale and thick.
  4. Fold the chocolate, butter and almond flour into the egg yolk mixture.
  5. Use a clean bowl to beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then fold these into the chocolate almond mixture.
  6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of center with a little "fudgyness"
  7. Cool 20 minutes, then remove from the tin.
  8. Allow to cool to room temperature, then dust the top with powdered sugar or cocoa. Serve with whip cream

Torta Caprese

 

 

Burrata Cheese with Fried Sage and Anchovy Oil

by

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

It’s summer. The beginning of warm days and nights, lingering afternoons, and patio evenings filled with food, fun, and friends. We long for these nights all year as they bring some of our best memories and fondest times.

So often during the summer, my favorite thing is to create an array of Italian appetizers accompanied with delicious wines and hours of endless conversation. With this as a favorite pastime, I am always looking for bites of deliciousness which can be completed ahead of the fray yet taste like they were just prepared.

When I am looking for inspiration for recipes, I frequently end up pulling from my memory bank of travel experiences. One very fond memory for us both was during a stay in the Tuscan countryside in an Agriturismo. For those of you who might not be familiar, Agriturismo’s are working farms where you can stay for both room and meals. If you haven’t experienced one, I highly suggest the venture. Quaint, rustic, and unique, nothing quite matches the sensation of being woken up to both the sounds of the farm roosters cackling accompanied by the divine smells of the bake goods nestled inside the womb of the wood fire oven preparing themselves for breakfast enjoyment.   It is truly a morning dance for one’s sensory pleasures.

One particular morning, we were gladly awakened by the enticing smells of the kitchen below. We quickly gathered ourselves together in hopes we aren’t too late (or early) for the pleasures we fantasized as we awoke from our slumber. We were careful to lightly tread over the old wood floor covered with footprints of the memories made before us and over to the nostalgic moka pot where countless others have too enjoyed a pot of the liquid gold finishing brewing and awaiting our enjoyment.

Nestling up in the corner table against the rough stone walls of the farmhouse, we sipped our coffee and gazed over the fields being hugged by the morning dew. As we got lost in a gaze of the Tuscan hillside, Gabriella (the owner and chef) quietly slipped a gorgeous tray of fresh figs, homemade burrata cheese, and fresh bread topped with glistening fresh olive oil, zested lemon, and then carefully wrapped amongst a wreath of fresh sage leaves. I didn’t believe anything could have broken my day dreaming stare but the enticing aromas of the farmhouse bread and the warmth of the newly made cheese rising from our table was too alluring to ignore. My head quickly shifted to the food painting in front of me, balanced by color, texture and flavor, it was almost too gorgeous to eat…..almost.

As I took the small, antique ceramic plate and arranged the bread, cheese, and fruit in the same thoughtful manner as Gabriella, I thought carefully about how best to honor this masterpiece. As I contemplated the layers of flavors I was about to experience, I wondered if it would satisfy the anticipation I was building inside my fantasy.

As I sank my teeth into the soft texture of both the bread and the cheese, the warmth of both filled my mouth while the intensity of the fresh olive oil coated my taste buds and the fresh lemon lingered slightly behind.

As I slowly chewed, I marveled at how beautifully satisflying four ingredients could be and how this melody worked so graciously together and I contemplated the age-old question, could it really be this simple to create the perfect, culinary bite? The answer was simple and quick……..yes.

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

Burrata Cheese with Fried Sage and Anchovy Oil
 
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Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 tub of burrata cheese (can use fresh mozzarella)
  • 12 sage leaves
  • 2-3 T anchovy paste
  • 5-6 T olive oil
  • 1-2 T white balsamic vinegar
  • 9-10 kalamata olives
  • salt and pepper
  • crostini for serving
Instructions
  1. In a small skillet, heat olive oil. Add anchovy paste and whisk to incorporate. Add sage leaves and lightly fry. Take off the heat and stir in white balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. On a platter, break open the burrata balls. Arrange kalamata olives and pour anchovy oil and sage over cheese. Serve immediately with crostini or crackers