Lemon Tart

This truly is the perfect lemon tart. "This is a throw back to culinary school days when we would practice making this tart endlessly. When done right, it's fantastic. I usually play it loose with the recipes but this one you must follow precisely. Not that it is difficult, just several steps involved...but  well worth the effort."

 

 Look for this one in the Autumn when we start back up our LIVE from ITALY: Online Cooking Classes!!

 

 

 It can be made as a large tart or as individual tartlets.
The puckery lemon custard delivers a pure lemon flavor, perfect ending to any meal!

Shortbread Dough (Pâte sablée)
255 g flour, sifted (9 oz)
150 g butter (3.5 oz)
90 g confectioners sugar (3 oz)
few drops of vanilla
pinch of salt
2 egg yolks
1-2 tablespoons ice cold water

Sift the flour onto the work surface and make a well in the center.
Dice the butter and place it in the well, then work it with your fingertips until its very soft.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar on the the butter and add the salt, working it into the butter.
Add the egg yolks and mix well. Gradually draw in the flour and mix until completely incorporated/amalgamated. Add the vanilla extract.
Give the dough a turn or two.
Briefly kneed the dough and form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. (Dough will keep well refrigerated for several days if necessary.)

When well chilled (an hour or so), roll out on your board. Transfer to an  8 in. tart ring. Blind bake at 375 F / 190 C

Lemon Cream
175 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (6 oz) - about 5-6 lemons
150 g unsalted butter at room temperature (3.5 oz) - cut into pieces
200 g sugar (7 oz)
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks

In a stainless steel pot, heat the lemon juice, butter and 150 g sugar over low heat until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer (about 2 minutes).

Using a wire whisk, beat the eggs, egg yolks, and remaining 50 g sugar until the mixture is pale and light (about 4-5 minutes).  Slowly pour half of the hot lemon juice mixture into the egg/sugar mixture to temper, beating until blending and fluffy. 

Return the mixture to the saucepan containing remaining  hot lemon mixture and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spoon, until the mixture nearly starts to simmer - about 3 minutes.

Transfer the lemon cream to a metal bowl and place over a water bath to cool. (If not using immediately, lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream.)

When cool, spread the lemon cream evenly into the pastry shell. Smooth the top with a spatula. Place the tart back in the oven and bake for 5 minutes to set the filling slightly without coloring it.

Carefully remove the tart if made in a ring pan and let cool on a wire rack. Place in the fridge until the tart until the filling is firm. Remove from the fridge 10-15 minutes before serving.

Garnish with compote of wild berries or candied lemon zest!

Homemade Limoncello (Recipe from the Amalfi Coast)

  Perfect for a hot summer night after you dinner al'fresco - a shot of frozen homemade limoncello - sweet & tart, instantly refreshing.  You can always cheat and buy a fancy bottle of limoncello or limoncino but if you have a little patience you will be great rewarded! 

Here's the no-fail, hands-down best, straight from the Amalfi Coast - Limoncello Recipe!

Homemade Limoncello

Rinds of 6-7 lemons (no whites) - use a potato pealer
1/2 liter of pure alcohol (or flavorless vodka)
1 liter of water
500 gr. sugar

Let the lemon rinds soak in alcohol for 10-12 days
Filter the lemon rinds.
Make a simple syrup with the sugar & water (warming the water on the stove & incorporating all the sugar). Wait for the sugar water to cool.
Combine the simple syrup with the alcohol & mix.
Bottle & place in the freezer.
Serve cold!

Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Tuna

Simply delicious. Ever since visiting a family-run seafood restaurant along the Adriatic we have been recreating this simple dish of roasted peppers and tuna.  Roasting gorgeous orange, yellow and red peppers over the grill and stuffing them with tuna, capers and herbs makes for a healthy flavorful appetizer/antipasti -the perfect way to start your summer dinner (especially if you already have the bbq fired up!)

Roasted Peppers Stuffed with Tuna
 Peperoni alla grilglia ripieni di tonno

Serves 6

4 Peppers (any color)
250 gram of highest quality of tuna you can find (in oil or water), drained
spoonful of capers, chopped
oregano, or any fresh herb of your choice (basil, marjoram, etc.)
salt & pepper (or red chili flakes)
red wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
clove of garlic

Start by charring the outside of your peppers - either on the stove or over the grill - until the outside is completely blackened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic, allow to cool.

When you can handle the peppers, remove the skin (should come right off) and remove the seeds. Slice the peppers into 3 cm strips.

To prepare the tuna filling, combine the tuna, capers, salt & pepper, a few drops of olive oil and vinegar.

At one end of the peppers add a spoonful of the tuna mix and roll the pepper around the tuna. Place in the dish, once the dish is full season with salt & cracked pepper.  Now make the dressing.

Two spoonfuls of red wine vinegar with six spoonfuls of olive oil, 1/2-1 clove of finely chopped garlic and small handful of chopped herbs. Mix it up and pour over the peppers in the dish. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes before serving to let the peppers soak up the dressing.

Note: You can add any thing you like to the tuna mix: spring onions, sun dried tomatoes, olives, etc.

Pasta with Raw Tomatoes & Lemon Infused Olive Oil

  In the height of tomato season try this light and refreshing summer pasta sauce of raw uncooked tomatoes with lemon infused olive oil tossed over fresh pasta. The lemon compliments the tomatoes creating a bright & flavorful dish that's quick & easy.  On a hot summer day all it takes is to boil the pasta & you're done!

We first tried this pasta at our friend Daniela's house for lunch in Cassero, (Le Marche) and have been making it with our bounty of tomatoes ever since!

Tomato Lemon Pasta Sauce

Pasta di Daniela

serves 8
1 cup (250 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
zest of 3-5 unwaxed lemons, depending on the size
1 kilo or 32 oz, passed tomatoes, the best fresh tomatoes you can find or canned
salt and chili flakes to taste
handful of aged pecorino (sheep's milk cheese) or parmesan freshly grated

A day or so before you would like to use the sauce combine lemon zest and oil in a bowl, cover and allow to sit out.

The next day, strain out zest from oil and drizzle slowly into passed tomatoes as you constantly stir.  When all the oil is incorporated, season with salt and pepper.  Allow the sauce to sit once more for a bit to allow the flavors to come together.

To serve: Give the sauce a good stir as it will have surely separated and toss with hot thin pasta and a sprinkle of grated aged pecorino (sheep's milk cheese) or parmesan.

Stuffed Lemons Cooked in the Oven - Limoni Cotti al Forno

Stuffed lemons with tomatoes, anchovies, basil & mozzarella is a delicious antipasto and perfect example of balancing flavors. We first tried this mouthwatering two-bite bit of heaven on the Amalfi Coast and have been recreating it ever since. Even though it is not a traditional dish of Le Marche, Jason likes to use it in his cooking classes to teach how to balance flavors in the kitchen: fat, acid, sweet, salty & aromatic. The creamy mozzarella subdues the tartness of the lemon; sweet cherry tomatoes go perfectly with the aromatic basil; and salty anchovies round out the dish.  All five of these ingredients work together harmoniously so that none of them are overpowering creating a balanced flavor.

This dish is also fantastic because you can make it your own very simply. Don't like anchovies? Try some capers or olives instead,  better yet go meaty and throw in a little prosciutto to get that salty component that is needed.  In Autumn, when the basil is gone and the frost have taken the tomatoes use the ingredients of that season to substitute (Gorgonzola, pear and walnuts sound good to me).   Be creative!  Keep this philosophy in mind and you can adapt any recipe to fit the season.

Lemons Cooked in the Oven
Limoni Cotti al Forno

2 Large unwaxed lemons
1 or 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella, sliced into 1/4 inch  or 1/2 cm thick pieces
4 fresh basil leaves
2 anchovy fillets
2 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 F / 215 C

Remove the ends of the lemons & discard them (don’t cut in to deep - you want to keep a closed bottom). Then cut the lemons in half crossways, giving you little lemon bowls.

Using a small knife, remove the lemon flesh, leaving you with 4 hollow lemon rind bowls. (Again you don’t want to break-into the rind)

Cut a piece of mozzarella to fit inside, then lay a basil leaf, half an anchovy fillet and half a cherry tomato on top with a pinch of salt & pepper and a little drizzle of good olive oil. Put another slice of mozzarella on top - the lemon should now be filled up. Do the same to the rest of the lemon bowls.

Place on a baking sheet & cook in a preheated oven for 10 - 15 minutes, until golden & bubbling.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately. To eat: scoop the mozzarella out and eat with the bread to soak up any juices!

Sauteed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

Green beans, runner beans, french beans or fagiolini - whatever you call them they are in-season on our farm! If you read our last post you know we are eating them damn'near daily! Here we pick them while they are still young & tender - not the huge knobby tough beans I was used to before. And don't even get me started on the difference between fresh picked beans and the soggy, salty ones I was force-fed to eat as a kid...from a can!! (No wonder so many kids grow up hating vegetables). Now I eat them right off the vine!

This is a delicious, fast, simple and healthy way to devour these fantastic green veggies. The crunchy, toasty almonds pair so nicely with the al'dente green beans, just begging you to go back for seconds - guilt free!

Sauteed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

serves 4

4 handfuls of green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 cloves of garlic
pinch of chili flakes
100 gram toasted almonds, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper
Blanch your beans in boiling salted water for 3-8 minutes depending on the size and thickness of beans or until half cooked.

Drain and rinse under cold water.

In a frying pan slowly heat 3-4 glugs of olive oil along with the garlic and chili flakes.

When the garlic is nicely browned turn the heat up and add in the green beans and saute for a minute or two.
Add quarter cup of water. Allow the water to evaporate fully cooking the beans for about 3 minutes.

Season with salt & pepper.

Toss in toasted almonds.
(If you like you can add in a squeeze of lemon.)

Serve.
(Leftovers: also delicious served cold.)

Green Bean Lover? Here's another great recipe:

Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes & Balsamic

Fennel & Blood Orange Salad

Fennel - what is it? A big onion? A bulb? Is it even edible? YES and how delicious it is!

The secret is to know how to use it & what to pair it with.
Fennel can be a bit tough & fibrous with an anise flavor. It is also light, crunchy & refreshing found in many Mediterranean recipes. We not only grow our own big bulbs of fennel but another variety of fennel grows wild along our road - the more leafy/flowery type to used as an aromatic.

Here is one of my favorite winter/early spring recipes from Jason below. Other ways to use/eat fennel: roasted, braised in white wine and the most simplistic - young fennel can be cut into chunks & dipped into olive oil & salt.

Fennel & Blood Orange Salad

1 bulb of fennel, cut in 1/2 and remove core
2-3 blood oranges
salt & pepper
3 glugs of extra virgin olive oil

Slice fennel as this as possible (use a food slicer or mandolin if available).
Peel & supreme the oranges. Save the extra pulp & squeeze the remaining juice into the bowl.
Mix sliced fennel, juice from the pulp & oranges - season with salt & pepper.
Drizzle with olive oil & toss.
Let stand for 10 minutes then serve.

Fried Anchovies with Sage

If you have not tried anchovies before - you must try them now! Get over any weird apprehensions or that its just bait or a punchline for a joke about pizza ("extra anchovies")! These little suckers are delicious & actually good for you! Baked, fried & grilled - they are ohh so good and worth a try. If your not up to it, then pass me your plate because I love'em!
Here is my favorite - Fried Anchovies - the recipe below adds a sage leave to each piece of fish as well for an extra burst of flavor & color.

Fried Anchovies with Sage
Acciughe fritte con Salvia

1lb of anchovies cleaned, spine removed
sage leaves (optional - if you are not a fan of sage just omit)

batter
1 cup of flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
seltzer water

vegetable oil for frying

In a bowl combine flour, eggs, salt & baking powder. Slowly add in seltzer water & mix until forms a thin batter. Cover with plastic & set in the fridge for at least an hour.

Heat oil in a pot to 350 degree.

Remove batter from fridge and mix once or twice (batter will have separated).

Take a sage leaf & anchovy put them together & dip into the batter - allowing access batter to drip off.

Fry 20 seconds a side until golden brown.

Remove from oil & drain on a paper towel.

Sprinkle with salt & serve immediately.

Pairs great with prosecco or white wine.