All Posts By: NANCY DeLUCIA REAL

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 to 23 minutes
Makes: One 9-inch round cake

Are summer weather, bright colors and flavors on your mind? Because lemons are all of the above, I thought of using them in this Lemon and Almond Cake that I grew up with in Southern Italy.

This cake is so rich with butter, lemon and almonds, that you should just omit the whipped cream garnish. All you need are freshly-sliced lemons, complementing the cake’s essence!

Ingredients:

Prepare the pan –
-1 tablespoon butter & small amount of flour (to butter a spring form pan)
Parchment paper

Make the cake –
-¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour (preferably organic)
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-Dash each salt and ground cinnamon (very little amounts)
-Zest of 2 small lemons, set it aside in a small bowl
-Juice of 2 small lemons, set aside in a small bowl
-5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into slices and softened at room temperature
-½ cup granulated sugar
-3 large eggs, separated (put yolks in a small bowl and whites in another bowl)
-½ cup ground raw, unsalted almonds
-Confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
-1 lemon, for slicing and cake garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch spring form pan and place parchment paper circle at bottom of pan.

2. Cut 3-inch wide strips of parchment; line pan sides with parchment strips. Set aside.

3. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a small bowl; set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff; set aside.

5. In a 6-quart mixing bowl and using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer), beat together the butter, sugar and egg yolks until mixture is creamy.

6. With mixer set on low, stir in the ground almonds and mix until batter is uniform.

7. Stir in the zest and lemon juice; set the bowl with batter aside.

8. Using a spatula, gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.

9. When the batter is uniform, gently pour it into the prepared spring form pan.

10. Place the spring form pan with batter on a rack positioned in center of oven; bake cake for 20 minutes.

11. After 20 minutes, insert a pointed knife in center of cake. If the knife is clean, the cake is done. If there is batter stuck to the knife, bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes and test with knife once more.

12. Transfer the cake to a counter and slightly cool (about 10 minutes).

13. Loosen sides of spring form pan from cake with a spatula. Remove pan sides and parchment strips.

14. Invert the cake onto a serving platter; lift off the pan bottom and gently peel away the parchment paper.

15. Let cake cool to room temperature.

16. Gently and lightly sift the powdered sugar over cake. Garnish with lemon slices and serve.

Text and Photograph ©2013 Nancy DeLucia Real

How about cooling down with some sweet strawberries, blueberries, and a shot of rum this summer? For this recipe, all you need to do is mix the luscious fruit with your own version of a shot of rum.

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled & quartered
8 ounces fresh blueberries, rinsed
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup Rum
Fresh mint leaves (for garnish)

In a serving bowl, mix all ingredients together and serve immediately.

Alternatively, chill up 4 hours and then serve.

Text and Photograph ©2013 Nancy DeLucia Real

Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes
Makes: 28 to 30 cookies

Passover is a holiday celebrated by people of the Jewish faith. It celebrates the great exodus of the freed Jews from Egypt in the late 13th century BC. Passover deals with the last of 10 plagues that God sent over Egypt. He sent the plagues to soften the heart of the pharaoh to free the Jews. But Ramesses II was not to be softened. So the plague with the hardest blow came at the end – on a certain night God was to strike the first-born male child in every Egyptian home.

Moses was ordered by God to instruct the Jewish people to kill an unblemished lamb and to cover the post and lintel of the doorway with the lamb’s blood. “… the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be on you ….” Exodus 12:13.

Ramesses II’s first born died. This is when pharaoh finally decided to let Moses’ people go.

The Jewish people left in haste and this means there was no time to let bread rise. The tradition holds that no flour should enter the preparation of Passover foods.

These delicious, gluten-free (flourless) Italian Amaretti fit in with the Passover holiday. Make these and watch them melt in your mouth, just like candies.

Happy Passover and peace to all!

Ingredients:
1 pound almond paste
3 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
Slivered, roasted almonds, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12 X 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In order to break it up, place small pieces of the almond paste in a food processor and “pulse-blend” until it breaks down; set aside.

3. In a 1-quart mixing bowl, beat 3 large egg whites until stiff. Gently fold in the sugar, little by little. Set the egg white-sugar mixture aside.

4. Transfer the broken-down almond paste to a 2 or 3-quart mixing bowl.

5. Gently fold in the egg white-sugar mixture until combined.

6. Placing a small bowl of cold water alongside the mixing bowl, slightly wet your hands (this will prevent the almond dough from sticking to your fingers) and pick up a small piece of almond dough.

7. Roll 1-inch almond dough balls, wetting your hands slightly in between rolls.

8. Place the almond balls on parchment-lined baking sheet, with 2-inch spaces between each one. Set 2 slivered almonds atop each almond roll.

9. Position the baking sheet with raw Amaretti on a rack centered in oven.

10. Bake Amaretti for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove baking sheet and set on a counter. Let the Amaretti cool for 10 minutes.

11. After 10 minutes, using a spatula, carefully remove the Amaretti from parchment paper and set them on a serving platter. Alternatively, place Amaretti in double freezer plastic bags and freeze up to 2 weeks.

To thaw: set Amaretti on serving platter and thaw about 30 minutes prior to serving.

Text & Photograph ©2013 Nancy DeLucia Real

Many Roman Catholics are presently observing Lent (a period of fasting that takes place 40 days prior to Easter). This means they’re staying away from meat, dairy products and/or sugar. For my fellow Italians as well as people of other cultures, fish replaces meat.

Here’s a fantastic recipe that I’ve taught in my recent culinary courses – Salmon Torta. Btw, “salmon en croute” is an Italian invention called “torta di salmone”.

Enjoy this Torta di salmone not just on Good Friday, but anytime you wish to make a great impression on someone. The flavors of dried cherries, nutmeg, cinnamon and mint in the salmon stuffing will astound them all!

Prep time: 25 minutes (pastry); 25 minutes (salmon)
Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes
Serves: 6

FIRST, PREPARE THE PASTRY:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten with 1/3 cup cold water in a small bowl

1. In a 2-quart mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.

2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add the beaten egg mixture to the well.

3. Using a fork, gradually (a little at a time) mix in the flour from sides of well until a soft dough forms.

4. With one hand holding the bowl, use the other hand to pick up the mound of dough and gently knead it inside the bowl, grabbing a little flour at a time.

5. When the dough is smooth and soft, set it aside on a floured surface, covered with an overturned bowl.

6. Pass the remaining flour in bowl through a sieve and set it aside (it will be used later to roll out the dough). MeanwhilE-

PREPARE THE SALMON FILETS:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh salmon filets, cut into four pieces (each measuring about 4X3 inches)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons minced yellow or white onion
1/3 cup minced fresh, Italian flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup dried, tart, pitted cherries, minced with shears
1 teaspoon salt
Dash each ground black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon
2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

1. Line a 12X18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the salmon filets and sear them on medium-high heat. DO NOT TOUCH THE FILETS FOR 60 TO 90 SECONDS.

3. After 60 to 90 seconds, using a spatula, GENTLY TURN OVER THE FILETS. DO NOT TOUCH THE FILETS FOR 60 TO 90 SECONDS.

4. After 60 to 90 seconds, transfer the skillet with salmon filets to a cold burner or surface; set aside.

5. In a 1-pint mixing bowl, combine the garlic, onion, parsley, mint leaves and cherries; set aside.

ROLL OUT THE PASTRY & ASSEMBLE THE TORTA:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Holding the pastry dough between both hands, flatten it to a 6-inch roundish rectangle. Lay it on a flat, lightly floured surface.

2. Lightly flouring the top of the flattened pastry dough, begin rolling it out. After every 2 to 3 rolls, CAREFULLY FLIP PASTRY CIRCLE OVER AND ONTO THE LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE.

3. Continue rolling out the pastry circle UNTIL IT BECOMES A RECTANGLE, measuring 16X10 inches.

4. Carefully transfer the rolled-out pastry rectangle onto the parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside.

5. Prepare a bed for the fish filets by placing half of the onion-herb mixture in the center of the pastry rectangle, forming a horizontal row (across).

6. Place the seared salmon filets over the row of onion-herb mixture.

7. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg evenly over the salmon filets.

8. Distribute the breadcrumbs evenly over the spices covering the filets.

9. Spread the remaining onion-herb mixture over the row of filets.

10. Close one long side of the pastry over the stuffed filets. Fold over the other pastry flap.

11. Turn the short sides of the pastry underneath the salmon torta; set aside. If desired, using a sharp, pointed knife, cut out leaf shapes from scraps of dough and place them on top of salmon torta.

MAKE THE EGG WASH:

1 large egg
1 teaspoon cold water

1. Crack the egg over a small bowl, discarding egg white. Using a fork, mix the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon cold water and set it aside.

2. With a sharp knife, cut 4 to 5 slits on pastry top of the salmon torta. Brush top of salmon torta with the egg wash.

3. Place baking sheet with the salmon torta on a rack positioned in center of preheated oven.

4. Bake the salmon torta for 25 to 30 minutes. After 25 minutes, check to see if pastry has turned light golden brown. If it is still pale, bake the salmon torta for an additional 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Immediately transfer the salmon torta in baking sheet to a counter; let it cool for 6 to 8 minutes before cutting.

6. Cut six 3-inch slices, placing each one on a dinner plate, accompanied by A Side of Carrots and Green Beans (previously published on this blog). Alternatively, serve with other types of vegetables.

White wine pairing suggestion: chilled Pinot Grigio.

Text and Photograph ©2013 Nancy DeLucia Real

For Saint Patrick’s Day this year, I feel like cake – but a healthy kind. Along the lines of carrot cake, I decided to use a neutral vegetable that would also serve as a natural colorant. You got it – spinach!

The end result is a moist cake with a texture as smooth as pudding. Moms – when your little Leprechans eat this delicious cake, they’ll have energy to play for hours. Just be sure to serve this cake early in the day – lol!

Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Bake time: 25 to 35 minutes
Makes One 9-inch round cake

Ingredients:
2/3 cup thawed spinach, packed (thaw a package of frozen spinach first, drain it and then measure)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup cold water
1-3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil (safflower or sunflower preferred)
1/2 cup milk (whole or 2% milk fat)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
Candy sprinkles (nonpareils)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform or regular cake pan; set aside.

2. In a blender, purée the spinach with 1 egg and 1/3 cup water until mixture becomes creamy and uniform. If needed, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons water until spinach mixture is uniform. Set aside for later use (you will only need 1 cup of this spinach mixture).

2. In a 1-quart bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In a stand mixer or in a 4-quart mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat together 1 cup of the spinach mixture, sugar, cream cheese, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla.

4. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients and beat until batter is smooth.

5. Pour the batter into prepared pan.

6. Place the pan on a rack positioned in center of oven.

7. Bake the cake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, insert a knife in center of cake. If knife comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes and test doneness again.

8. If needed, bake for an additional 5 minutes.

9. Cool Leprechan Cake completely.

10. Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk to make a glaze. Pour it over cake and decorate with candy sprinkles.

Text and Cake Photograph ©2013 Nancy DeLucia Real