Food From Around The World; ~Italian ~ Cuisine ~Italian cuisine: Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences from other cultures. Italian cuisine is noted for its regional diversity, great quantity of difference in taste, and is known to be one of the most popular in the world. Traditionally, Italy was a poor country - cooks worked largely with home grown vegetables and olive oil, and home made starches like pasta and bread. Meat was too expensive, so it was used sparingly, like a condiment. It is this tradition of home cooking (often handed down from generation to generation) that has earned international attention. Italian cuisine is designed to be shared with family and friends.
Reasons for choice: I chose Italian (vegetarian) cuisine for my luncheon competition because Italian cuisine uses lots of fresh produce and is very tasty. It is a reasonably inexpensive menu that could be produced within the time frame. I think my 'Primo' (Zuppa di Asparagi) is a nutritious, warm 'comfort food' for a winter's day. My 'Secondo' (Pumpkin Rotolo) is a 'light lunch' served with a refreshing salad. After such a nutritious lunch, 'Dolce' should be a reward of one of Italy's favorites, Tiramisu! I also wanted to show that you can have a delicious Italian lunch with out meat! A lot of Italian combinations of ingredients are simple, but are very tasty. Their meals are very colourful and delicious. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LUNCH MENU: VEGETARIAN ITALIAN: ENTRÉE; (Primo)Zuppa di Asparagi (Asparagus soup). MAIN; (Secondo)Roast Pumpkin Rotolo, with Sage Butter.
served with a Radicchio Fennel & Orange Salad. DESSERT; (Dolce)Tiramisu.
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Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 Bunch fresh Asparagus
1 Thickened cream
1 Minced Onion
1 Carrot (diced)
1 Celery stem (diced)
1 Potato (diced)
1L vegetable stock
Chopped Parsley
Marjoram
Tarragon
Salt
Pepper
Olive bread
Butter
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Method:
In a large skillet pour 2 tbsp of olive oil add the minced onion and let it brown.
Add the asparagus (only the green part), cover with vegetable stock, then add carrot, celery, and potato.
Cook for about 1 hour.
Remove the vegetables, put them in the food processor and mix.
Put the vegetables on a low heat and simmer season with salt, pepper add parsley, marjoram, tarragon (all minced) and finally add thickened cream. (being very careful not to let the zuppa boil).
Serve with olive bread slices and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and parsley.
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs (about 1 kg) with leafy fronds
1 Spanish onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped
1 cup (120 g) pitted black olives
Method: Rotolo-
Preheat oven to 220°C
Spread pumpkin on baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with fennel seed and chilli.
Season, cover with a layer of baking paper and foil, then roast for 40 minutes until very soft.
Transfer pumpkin to a sieve over a bowl, then leave to drain for 30 minutes. Discard liquid, then push pumpkin through the sieve.
Add ricotta, parmesan and nutmeg, then mix until smooth and well combined.
Place a large, damp tea towel on a work bench. Bruch the edges of the lasagna sheets with beaten egg, then arrange on the towel, overlapping slightly, to form a 30cm x 60cm rectangle.
Spoon filling along one side. Using the towel as a guide, carefully roll pasta from 1 long side (like a Swiss roll). Enclose in towel and secure ends with string.
Place parcel in a deep roasting or fish kettle. Pour enough boiling water to submerge rotolo. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes until al dente.
Carefully remove rotolo to a board and stand for 10 minutes while you fry sage.
Melt the butter in a pan over a low - medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the sage leaves and stir for 30 seconds until crisp.
Carefully unwrap rotolo, then cut into 3.5cm rounds. Arrange slices on serving plate, then spoon over the sage and butter and top with shaved parmesan.
Salad-
Line individual plates with radicchio leaves. Peel and segment oranges.
Using a vegetable peeler, slice fennel bulb into thin strips. Slice onions into thin rings.
Whisk oil, vinegar, lemon juice and rosemary in a bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finely chop a few fennel fronds. Layer fennel, oranges and onions on to radicchio. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with fennel fronds and olives.
Combine coffee and Tia Maria in a bowl. Dip biscuits, 1 at a time, into the coffee mixture and use to line the sides of four 375ml (1 1/2-cup) capacity serving glasses. Drizzle with remaining coffee mixture.
Use an electric beater to beat together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone and beat until combined.
Use a clean electric beater to whisk the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold half the egg white into the mascarpone mixture. Fold in the remaining egg white until combined. Spoon mascarpone mixture among glasses. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 6 hours to chill.
Entrée – (Zuppa di Asparagi) Work through steps 1-4 then cover with cling film, label and set aside in the fridge. Main – (Roast Pumpkin Rotolo with Sage Butter) follow steps 1-5, then cover with cling film, label and set aside in the fridge. Make vinaigrette dressing for salad. Dessert - (Tiramisu) follow steps 1-3 then cover with cling film, label and set aside in the fridge.
On the day – Entrée – (Zuppa di Asparagi) work through steps 5-6. Warm olive bread in oven (in foil). Garnish and plate up. Main - (Roast Pumpkin Rotolo with Sage Butter served with a Radicchio Fennel & Orange Salad) Follow steps 6-11. While Rotolo is cooking, prep salad and place in serving bowls. Dress salad just before serving. Dessert - (Tiramisu) Shave dark chocolate, remove Tiramisu from fridge, garnish and serve.
WORK FLOW Day before: Ingredients: Zuppa – onion, carrot, celery, potatoes, asparagus, vegetable stock. Rotolo– pumpkin, fennel seeds, olive oil, chilli flakes, s & p, riocotta. Tiramisu – coffee, Tia Maria, savolardy biscuits, 2 eggs, mascapony, caster sugar.
Day Before: Utensils:
baking tray
sieve
mixing bowls x 2 (large)
mixing bowls x 2 (metal)
soup pot (2L)
food processor
electric mixer
spatula, tongs, wooden spoon, metal spoon
knife, chopping board, grater,
cup/ spoon measures, scales
timer
dessert serving glasses
Day before, time management:
Gather recipes, ingredients, and utensils.
Preheat oven (220º C).
Peel and cube pumpkin, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with chili flakes and cover with baking paper and foil, bake 40 min (soft).
Chop onion, brown in 2 tbs olive oil and chop carrot, trim asparagus, add soup to pot with vege stock and cook 1 hour (stove top – medium heat).
Check pumpkin, place into a sieve over a bowl, leave to drain for 30 min.
Grate parmesan for rotolo (1/4 cup).
Check soup (soft veggies) blend in food processor, label, refrigerate.
Discard liquid from pumpkin, puck through a sieve. Add ricotta, parmesan and nutmeg, mix until smooth. Taste/ season, label and refrigerate.
Clean up.
Gather Tiramisu ingredients and utensils, follow recipe to step 3. Cover label and refrigerate.
On the day: Ingredients: Zuppa – parsley, marjoram, tarragon, cream, olive bread. Rotolo – lasagne sheets, egg, unsalted butter, parmesan, sage, s & p. Salad – raddichio, fennel, red onion, oranges, rosemary, olive oil, balsamic, olives. Tiramisu – dark chocolate
On the day: Utensils:
deep roasting pan
tea towel, string
grater
fry pan
tongs, mandoline, whisk
sharp knives
chopping board
small bowl
Table setting;
menus
k & f , soup and dessert spoons
soup bowls,
bread and butter plates
dinner plates
salad bowls
On the day, time management:
Gather recipes, ingredients, and utensils.
Pre heat oven (low – to warm plates).
Boil water (stove top). Beat egg.
Roll rotolo (as per recipe). Cover and simmer (low heat) in roasting pan - 20 min (aldente).
Reheat soup (stove top) on low.
Chop parsley, tarragon, majoram, add to soup. Add cream, taste and season, simmer on low.
Shave parmesan (zuppa and rotolo – garnish), slice olive bread.
Food From Around The World;
~Italian ~ Cuisine ~Italian cuisine:
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences from other cultures. Italian cuisine is noted for its regional diversity, great quantity of difference in taste, and is known to be one of the most popular in the world.
Traditionally, Italy was a poor country - cooks worked largely with home grown vegetables and olive oil, and home made starches like pasta and bread. Meat was too expensive, so it was used sparingly, like a condiment. It is this tradition of home cooking (often handed down from generation to generation) that has earned international attention. Italian cuisine is designed to be shared with family and friends.
Reasons for choice:
I chose Italian (vegetarian) cuisine for my luncheon competition because Italian cuisine uses lots of fresh produce and is very tasty. It is a reasonably inexpensive menu that could be produced within the time frame. I think my 'Primo' (Zuppa di Asparagi) is a nutritious, warm 'comfort food' for a winter's day. My 'Secondo' (Pumpkin Rotolo) is a 'light lunch' served with a refreshing salad. After such a nutritious lunch, 'Dolce' should be a reward of one of Italy's favorites, Tiramisu! I also wanted to show that you can have a delicious Italian lunch with out meat! A lot of Italian combinations of ingredients are simple, but are very tasty. Their meals are very colourful and delicious.
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LUNCH MENU:
VEGETARIAN ITALIAN:
ENTRÉE; (Primo)Zuppa di Asparagi (Asparagus soup).
MAIN; (Secondo)Roast Pumpkin Rotolo, with Sage Butter.
served with a Radicchio Fennel & Orange Salad.
DESSERT; (Dolce) Tiramisu.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RECIPES: ENTRÉE;
Zuppa di Asparagi (Asparagus soup);
Cooking time:
1 hour
Ingredients (serves 4)
Method:
MAIN;
Roast Pumpkin Rotolo with Sage Butter served with a Radicchio Fennel & Orange Salad.
Ingredients (serves 8)
Rotolo-
- 1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm cubes
- 1tbs olive oil
- 1tbs fennel seeds
- ½tbs dried chilli flakes
- 350g fresh ricotta
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ¼tbs freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 fresh lasagna sheets (15 x 30 cm)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 80g unsalted butter
- 16 sage leaves
Salad-Method:
Rotolo-
- Preheat oven to 220°C
- Spread pumpkin on baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with fennel seed and chilli.
- Season, cover with a layer of baking paper and foil, then roast for 40 minutes until very soft.
- Transfer pumpkin to a sieve over a bowl, then leave to drain for 30 minutes. Discard liquid, then push pumpkin through the sieve.
- Add ricotta, parmesan and nutmeg, then mix until smooth and well combined.
- Place a large, damp tea towel on a work bench. Bruch the edges of the lasagna sheets with beaten egg, then arrange on the towel, overlapping slightly, to form a 30cm x 60cm rectangle.
- Spoon filling along one side. Using the towel as a guide, carefully roll pasta from 1 long side (like a Swiss roll). Enclose in towel and secure ends with string.
- Place parcel in a deep roasting or fish kettle. Pour enough boiling water to submerge rotolo. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes until al dente.
- Carefully remove rotolo to a board and stand for 10 minutes while you fry sage.
- Melt the butter in a pan over a low - medium heat and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the sage leaves and stir for 30 seconds until crisp.
- Carefully unwrap rotolo, then cut into 3.5cm rounds. Arrange slices on serving plate, then spoon over the sage and butter and top with shaved parmesan.
Salad-(source:Delicious Magazine - Italian issue 93 May 2010 - Recipie by Valli Little)
DESSERT;
Tiramisu
Chilling time:
(6 hours chilling time)
Ingredients (serves 4)
Method:
- Other -
Entrée: Zuppa di Asparagi = $13.70 ( = $3.42 per serve).
Main: Roast pumpkin rotolo = $15.60 ( = $3.90 per serve) + Radicchio salad = $9.80 ( = $2.45 per serve).
Dessert: Tiramasu = $12.00 ( = $3.00 per serve).
TOTAL COST:
Italian Vegetarian Lunch = $ 51.10 ( = $12.78 per person).
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WORK PLAN
Summary
[Have all recipes sheets available / laminated]
The day before-
Entrée – (Zuppa di Asparagi) Work through steps 1-4 then cover with cling film, label and set aside in the fridge.
Main – (Roast Pumpkin Rotolo with Sage Butter) follow steps 1-5, then cover with cling film, label and set aside in the fridge. Make vinaigrette dressing for salad.
Dessert - (Tiramisu) follow steps 1-3 then cover with cling film, label and set aside in the fridge.
On the day –
Entrée – (Zuppa di Asparagi) work through steps 5-6. Warm olive bread in oven (in foil). Garnish and plate up.
Main - (Roast Pumpkin Rotolo with Sage Butter served with a Radicchio Fennel & Orange Salad) Follow steps 6-11. While Rotolo is cooking, prep salad and place in serving bowls. Dress salad just before serving.
Dessert - (Tiramisu) Shave dark chocolate, remove Tiramisu from fridge, garnish and serve.
WORK FLOW
Day before:
Ingredients:
Zuppa – onion, carrot, celery, potatoes, asparagus, vegetable stock.
Rotolo – pumpkin, fennel seeds, olive oil, chilli flakes, s & p, riocotta.
Tiramisu – coffee, Tia Maria, savolardy biscuits, 2 eggs, mascapony, caster sugar.
Day Before:
Utensils:
Day before, time management:
On the day:
Ingredients:
Zuppa – parsley, marjoram, tarragon, cream, olive bread.
Rotolo – lasagne sheets, egg, unsalted butter, parmesan, sage, s & p.
Salad – raddichio, fennel, red onion, oranges, rosemary, olive oil, balsamic, olives.
Tiramisu – dark chocolate
On the day:
Utensils:
Table setting;
On the day, time management:
Buono appetite.
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