Authors: Rosanna Chiofalo

Bella Fortuna (44 page)

BOOK: Bella Fortuna

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“Ahhh! Alone at last!” Stefano looks into my eyes. We kiss, but much longer than the kiss that sealed our union. The gondolier begins singing. The only word that reaches my ears is
amore
.

“I can't believe you're mine.” Stefano hugs me even tighter.

“I can't believe
you're
mine.” I smile and push back a wisp of Stefano's hair that has blown out of place. We laugh. I place my forehead against Stefano's, and we close our eyes, reveling in this moment.

“We're going to have a very good life, Valentina.”

“Yes, we are.” I kiss Stefano lightly on the lips before I nestle further down into the gondola seat and wrap his arms around my waist.

We remain silent as our gondola glides down the Grand Canal. Dusk drapes this magical city that never ceases to amaze. Calmness, like none other I've felt before, washes over me as I take in Venice's beauty at twilight. The excitement of the day is making me drowsy. As I drift off to sleep, I hear my father's voice whispering something he always said to me when I was a little girl:
“Che bella fortuna. Bella fortuna.”

R
ECIPES FOR
B
ELLA
F
ORTUNA

Palline di Limone
(Glazed Lemon Cookies)

Makes 80

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Â½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Â¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

cup milk

ICING

1Â½ cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, and beat until well blended. Beat in the lemon extract and lemon zest.

Stir in half of the flour mixture and then the milk. Add the remaining flour and stir until thoroughly incorporated. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350

Pinch off 1-inch pieces of the dough and shape them into balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until puffed but not browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

To make the icing :
In a bowl, combine all of the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Stir in a few drops of water, or just enough to make the icing easy to spread. Brush the cookies generously with the icing. Let dry on wire racks.

Torta della Nonna
(Grandmother's Cake)

Serves 8

FILLING

3 large egg yolks

cup sugar
1Â½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons orange liqueur

CAKE

cups all-purpose flour
Â½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Â¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into bits and softened
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
Confectioners' sugar

To make the filling:
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until pale yellow. Whisk in the flour. Gradually add the hot milk, whisking constantly. Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Scrape the custard into a bowl. Stir in the orange liqueur. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350

F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.

To make the cake:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and vanilla and stir until a dough forms. Divide the dough in half.

Press one half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and Â½ inch up the sides. Spread the chilled custard cream over the center of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining dough into a 9Â½-inch circle. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and place it over the filling. Pinch the edges of the dough together to seal. Brush the egg wash over the top of the cake. With a small knife, make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, then invert onto another rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Lemon Wedges in Olive Oil and Vinegar

Serves 4

2â3 large lemons (the larger the better)
Salt to taste

Â¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Â¼ cup red wine vinegar
Loaf of crusty Italian bread

Peel the lemons. Cut them into bite-size wedges. Sprinkle salt generously over lemon wedges. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and then the red wine vinegar over the lemon wedges. With salad tongs, toss the lemon wedges until they're coated evenly in the oil-and-vinegar dressing. (Depending on personal taste and how high your tolerance for sour foods is, you might want to add more salt or vinegar after tasting the lemon wedges.)

Break off pieces of bread and eat with the lemon wedges or dip the bread into the oil-and-vinegar dressing.

Saltimbocca
(SautÃ©ed Veal with Prosciutto and Sage)

Serves 4

Fresh sage leaves
1 pound thinly sliced veal cutlets

Â¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto
5 tablespoons olive oil
Â½ cup dry white wine

Place 1 or 2 sage leaves on each veal cutlet. Place pieces of prosciutto over the sage leaves; secure the layers with toothpicks.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat packets, veal side down, and cook until nicely browned, a minute or so, then turn and cook until the prosciutto is golden brown; take care not to overcook the meat.

Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom; cook until the wine is evaporated.

Place the meat on a platter, drizzle the pan juices over, and serve immediately.

Cinnamon Vanilla French Toast

Serves 2â3

5 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or a little more according to taste preference)

Butter or canola cooking spray
10 slices challah or potato bread (or 2 slices of bread for every egg)
Maple syrup
Confectioners' sugar

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, and stir until thoroughly combined.

Place a tablespoon of butter in a griddle or cast-iron skillet and simmer until butter melts (if using canola cooking spray, spray the bottom of pan evenly).

Dip each slice of bread into the egg / milk batter and coat each side evenly. Immediately place the coated slices of bread into the griddle.

Cook about 3 minutes, or until batter seems to be absorbed from the side of bread that's facedown on the griddle, and flip over with a spatula. Cook the opposite side for again 3 minutes or until batter seems to be absorbed.

Transfer cooked slices of French toast into an oven-proof dish to keep warm until all of the slices of bread have been cooked.

Drizzle with maple syrup. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Fried Meatballs

Serves 8â10

1Â½ pounds of ground beef (or whatever meat you prefer: turkey, veal, etc.)
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of pecorino romano cheese
1 tablespoon of red cooking wine
Canola oil
Ground black pepper to taste

Place the ground meat in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients.

Using your hands, incorporate the ingredients into the meat. Keep kneading the meat until all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended into the meat.

Shape the meat into a large ball. If it seems too dry, add a teaspoon of water, then knead the meat again. (Be careful not to add too much water.)

Pinch off pieces of meat and shape into 2-inch balls.

Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat (about 1 minute).

BOOK: Bella Fortuna

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