Italian Recipes

* Preparation time: 20 minutes.
* Cooking time: 10 minutes.
* 3 eggs.
* 150g icing sugar.
* 100g plain flour.
* 50g cocoa powder.
* Salt.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and stir in the sugar, sifted flour and cocoa powder with a pinch of salt. Fill a pastry bag with the mixture and “write” the letters of the alphabet onto a buttered baking tray. Leave plenty of space between the biscuits as they will spread during cooking and might join together . Bake in the oven for ten minutes at 150°C. They are ready when they turn an attractive golden brown colour.

These biscuits are typical, fatless Lenten fare, as their name suggests.

This salad is made with paper-thin shavings of vegetables, usually raw, tossed together and lightly dressed just before serving. The variations are extensive (peppers, celery, and radishes are often added) and always fresh and satisfying.

Note: Slices of very fresh, raw cepes (porcini, or Boletus edulis) are superb in this salad. Another autumnal variation on this salad theme is to dress the shavings of fennel with lemon and olive oil and top with shavings of fuyu persimmon accented with a few drops of balsamic vinegar.

2 large artichokes
2 lemons
2 large fennel bulbs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons white truffle oil
salt and pepper
1 piece Reggiano Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
About 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves

Pare the artichokes down to their hearts and scoop out the chokes with a spoon, dropping them into water acidulated with the juice of 1 of the lemons.

Cut off the feathery tops of the fennel at the base of their stalks and remove the outer layer of the bulbs. Slice the bulbs very thin with a mandolin or a very sharp knife. Remove the artichoke hearts from the water and slice them very thin the same way.

Assemble the salad in layers on a large platter or on individual salad plates. First make a layer of the fennel slices. Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the fennel and drizzle with salt and pepper. Then make a layer of the artichoke hearts, also slice very thin. Squeeze more lemon juice over them, drizzle evenly with another third of the oils, and season with salt and pepper. Cut thin shavings of the Parmesan with cheese slicer or a vegetable peeler and arrange them on top of the artichoke slices. Scatter the parsley leaves over the cheese, season with salt and pepper, squeeze more lemon juice over, and drizzle evenly with the rest of the oils. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 large leeks
6 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 bay leaves
7 cups water
1 tsp. dill
3 sprigs fresh tarragon, minced
Salt to taste
1-2 Tbsp. margarine

Direction:
Cut bottoms off leeks, slice in half (the long way). Rinse well under running water to remove any dirt hiding in between the layers. Slice thinly and saute in a large pot with the seasonings and spices and margarine until translucent and soft. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, and reduce to medium-high. Cook until potatoes are cooked. Puree half or more of the soup to give it a creamy base.