Peaches in Red Wine. 

6 peaches 

6 Tbs. granulated sugar

1/2 lemon

Red wine (Your choice. I like to use San Giovesse, Merlot or Pinot)

Wash peaches in cold water.  Peel and slice into wedges. Discard pits. Place wedges in large bowl. Sprinkle peaches with sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or by hand to avoid bruising the fruit. Peaches are delicate. Allow peaches to sit with sugar for 20 minutes, or until sugar has thoroughly dissolved. The fruit will soften slightly in the process.

Place peach wedges into individual serving bowls. Add enough red wine to each serving to just cover the peaches.  Allow them to sit another 30 - 45 minutes. The longer they sit, to more intense the wine flavor.  I don’t recommend allowing them to sit any longer than 45 minutes or the wine flavor will dominate the peach flavor.

Can be served room temp or slightly chilled. Serves 6

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Torta di Pistacchio 

Pistachio Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the cake

1 2/3 cups raw shelled pistachios - Peel off red skin (see note below)

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Pinch of kosher or sea salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

For the ricotta cream

1 firmly packed cup well-drained whole milk ricotta, patted dry

2/3 cup heavy cream

½ cup mascarpone 

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

½  tsp. vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F with a rack in the center. Butter bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan with at least 2 3/4-inch-high sides.

Process pistachios in a food processor in two batches until they are the texture of fine cornmeal. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt at low speed to break them up, then raise speed to medium and beat until soft peaks are formed. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add 6 Tbs. granulated sugar. Continue to beat until medium-firm peaks form. Hand held mixer can also be used. Set aside.

In separate bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining 6 Tbs. sugar at medium speed until they are thick and pale. Approx. 4 minutes. Mix in lemon zest. Using a large spatula, gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the whites. Divide ground pistachios into 3 portions. Gently fold in ground pistachios, folding in each time just until the nuts are well blended.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake is golden and firm to the touch and pulls away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and let cool completely. Transfer cooled cake on its base to a serving platter, or carefully run an angled metal spatula under the cake and slide it directly onto the platter.

Make the ricotta cream

Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, briefly beat the ricotta on medium speed until creamy. Add heavy cream, mascarpone, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, and vanilla paste (or extract) and beat briefly on low to combine the ingredients. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture begins to thicken. Beat until just stiff.

Assemble the cake

Using a serrated bread knife, slice the cake horizontally into two layers and set aside the top layer. Spread the ricotta cream over the bottom layer. Place the top layer over the filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

NOTE: To peel shelled pistachios, place in a heatproof bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Let sit for MAXIMUM 2 minutes. Any longer and the nuts can get soggy. Drain. Wrap nuts in a clean linen kitchen towel and rub briskly to loosen skins. Peel off any remaining skins with your fingers.  

You can skip this step, but you won’t have as much of the beautiful green color of the nuts. You may have a bit of bitterness with skins on. Some cooks like this flavor contrast.

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Torrone

Nougat Almond Candy

Makes 15 - 20 pieces

                                          2 to 3 edible wafer papers (cook stores and party stores)

3 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup honey

2 cups granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

3 cups whole blanched almonds

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Kitchen thermometer 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray  8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom and sides of pan with edible wafer paper. Cut pieces as needed to fit. Set aside.

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Put honey into medium saucepan. Pour sugar and salt into the center of the pan. Cook mixture over medium heat, without stirring, until honey begins to simmer around the edges of  pan. About 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cooking gently and swirling the plan until sugar is dissolved. Mixture should turn to dark amber color and reach 320 degrees on kitchen thermometer. Takes from 10 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allows bubbling to subside.

When honey mixture reaches 270 degrees, turn mixer to medium-low and begin whipping egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. About 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form. Another 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce speed to low and slowly add hot honey mixture to the center of mixture. Avoid pouring against bowl or on whip. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and whip, scraping down sides of  bowl two or three times, until mixture is pale, thick and stiff. About 10 minutes.

While nougat mixture is whipping, spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and heat in 350 degree oven until warm and slightly aromatic. About 5 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and keep the almonds on baking sheet to keep warm.

Reduce mixer speed to low, add warm almonds and vanilla to mixture. 

Work quickly and scrape candy evenly into the prepared pan using a rubber spatula that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

Cover top surface of the candy with a single piece of edible wafer paper, trimmed to fit the pan. Place parchment paper on top and press very firmly with another 8-inch square baking pan to compact the candy and remove air bubbles. Let pan cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until very firm, about 2 hours.

Discard parchment. Use a sharp paring knife to trim excess pieces of edible wafer paper from edges. Turn candy out onto a cutting board. Cut the torrone into pieces about 1"x2". Torrone can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Use parchment to line the container and separate layers.

Mangia Bene

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Italian Peanut Cookie

(Biscotto di arachidi italiano)

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Zest of one medium orange

1 cup dark corn syrup or honey

2 cups dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Preparation Instructions Combine dry ingredients. Roast peanuts in 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Coarse chop in food processor. Add orange zest, molasses and peanuts to dry ingredients. Mix well by hand.

Divide dough in half. Wet hands with water and shape each half into a log about 14 inches long. Place on parchment paper on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool. Slice logs diagonally as you would for biscotti. Make slices about 1/2-inch wide.

Re-bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Cool. Dust tops with confectioners’ sugar.

Yield: About 4 dozen cookies.

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