Everyday Italian (33 page)

In a small bowl, stir the vanilla into the mascarpone just to blend. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and the cream. Microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute total.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat, or preheat a ridged grill pan over a medium-high flame. Lightly oil the grill rack or pan. Grill the pineapple slices until heated through and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the pineapple slices to a large platter, and drizzle the warm chocolate-hazelnut sauce over. Dollop the mascarpone mixture atop. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.

Although
canned pineapple
wouldn’t be my first choice, you can use it if you
pat the slices dry before grilling.

These are the rich, traditional finales that I remember from big family suppers when I was growing up—and that you may recognize from the menus of many Italian restaurants. While some of these aren’t as simple as just grilling peaches, they’re still not very complicated, and doubling or tripling these recipes is a piece of cake (so to speak), making them perfect for your own big family suppers.

This dessert is the Italian version of a hot fudge sundae. Traditionally it’s made with vanilla ice cream, but I love chocolate, so why not?

4 SERVINGS

In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, whisk the boiling water and espresso powder until the powder is dissolved. Scoop the gelato or ice cream into 4 dessert bowls or glasses. Pour 2 tablespoons of hot espresso over each, top with the whipped cream, and serve immediately.

The traditional zabaglione isn’t made with chocolate, but it is served either warm or cold, with fresh berries, as mine is. So why did I add chocolate? To make this something so incredibly rich and special that no one—absolutely no one—could resist it. Serve this before asking for a really big favor.

6 SERVINGS

In A Small
, heavy saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.

Fill a large saucepan with enough water to come 2 inches up the sides of the pan, and bring to a simmer. In a large metal bowl, whisk the sugar, Marsala, egg yolks, and salt to blend. Set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk the egg mixture constantly until it is thick and creamy and a thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160 degrees F, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. (If serving the zabaglione cold, cover and refrigerate it until cold, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. Do not rewarm.)

Divide the strawberries among 6 coupe dishes. Spoon the warm zabaglione over and serve.

It looks complicated, but all the steps are actually easy, and it will be
such
a hit. I like to make tiramisù the day before so that the cookies have enough time to absorb all the flavors and the tiramisù has time to set.
Tiramisù
means “pick-me-up,” and boy oh boy will it pick you up.

12 SERVINGS

In A Large Bowl
, stir the mascarpone cheese two times or just until smooth (do not overmix or the mascarpone will become stiff). In a medium bowl, beat the cream and ⅓ cup of the sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold the sweetened whipped cream into the mascarpone, then fold in the chocolate zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate.

Line a 9¼x5x2¾-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. In another medium bowl, whisk the espresso and the remaining ⅓ cup of sugar to blend.

Working with one cookie at a time, dip 8 cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon one third of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat the dipping and layering of the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture two more times. Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisù. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisù with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Unwrap the plastic from atop the tiramisù. Invert the tiramisù onto a platter and remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisù and serve.

The addition of orange and rum are what makes this a very different rice pudding than you’re probably used to. Of course, rum isn’t a typical flavoring in Italian cooking, but once again I’ve taken the liberty of infusing a little New World twist into an Old World classic.

4 TO 6 SERVINGS

A great dinner-party dessert: You make it ahead of time, it looks beautiful, and it tastes fantastic. For an interesting twist, try infusing the cream with flavors like lavender or rosewater.

6 SERVINGS

Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve.

In pastas and salads and sauces and stews, it’s obvious that Italian cuisine is heavily focused on the regional produce grown throughout the peninsula: The olive oil from the neighboring field is drizzled on the grilled fish from the port down the road, the fig tree in the backyard provides the sauce for the pork roast from the farmer next door. This is true for desserts also—and not just for the likes of grilled fruits, but even in cookies and cakes. The regional nuts, citrus, and even such produce as fennel play a role in Italian baked goods. Here are some of them.