strawberries - Cristina, from Buenos Aires to Paris

An Italian Moment: Summery Ricotta Tart, or When Inspiration Comes from the Amalfi Coast (Part I)

Geometric & Arithmetic accuracy for cutting and placing strawberries is required..AND patience!

Finally, with one year of delay (Yes, the volcano decided to keep quiet this time!), we were able to make our planned trip to Italy..the Amalfi coast, to be precise. And every time I go to Italy, I realise how much Italians have influenced the life, the memories, the taste of all Argentinians. The star of afternoon tea, coffee, or mate has always been in my family the ricotta tart…with its sweet lemony taste, and the special texture of ricotta…Of course our ricotta tarts were not like this one, they were more simple, like this one here. The one that I made for you is more of a “renegade”(?!), yes…like an Italian country village girl that dreams to be “Parisienne”….

But this is what these images of Sorrento inspired in me…I remember reading that many English poets, like Byron, D.H.Lawrence, or American Henry James went to Italy in search of inspiration..Some of them dreamt of Italy but never stepped on Italian soil..like Shakespeare, but he despicted so well the Juliet’s balcony in Verona, that we all believe that balcony really existed, when it did not (sorry to spoil the business of Verona’s tour operators!!)

In any case, looking for inspiration or for lazy “dolce farniente”, the Amalfi coast is a must because of its beauty ...and good food!

This is Capri, la Piazzeta!! I could have stayed there for hours, enjoying the sun, like a tortoise, chatting noisily with my family or friends…(yes, in Italy you chat noisily!!) Of course, the only thing that would make me leave my chair would be a detour at the several luxury jewelry shops!!! Please, God or whoever is in charge of this…in my next re-incarnation I would love to be the spoilt, protected lover of some Italian viscount, who would have as only penchant to buy me rings!! I LOVE rings…Of course, I did not dare to come up with the suggestion of another ring to my husband because he (unlike my Italian viscount) would have probably locked me inside the clock tower you see in the photo surrounded by all the pidgeons (which I hate!)

Here is Anacapri (on the same island but higher). Less classy, probably more authentic..We had lunch in the little restaurant you see there, in the sun, because technically speaking, we were freezing in Italy!! (yes, only fifteen days ago, it was very cold! ) I had the best spaghetti a la vongole in my life!!! I don’t know what the cook had used, but the taste was incredible!

On another, nearly stormy day, we went to Positano..Sometimes, the lack of sunlight makes settings more dramatic, colors acquire a different hue…The little colourful houses perched on the hills, lemons, artichokes everywhere!!! huge artichokes, the bells of the churches announcing mass, “pepperoncinos” hanging from walls…widows in black, children playing football, chianti…beautiful girls in exuberant bodies….handsome young men..perfect Roman noses….in one word? Italy!!

Initially, I was going to top the tart with pears, but when I went to the market, five boxes of “gariguettes” (extremely perfumed French variety of strawberry) were being sold at 4 euros!!! so…..

A piece of this tart and a capuccino…what can else can we expect from life? Italian heaven…!

Well…if Marcello joined me, I wouldn’t mind…(actually I would have adored an imaginary RDV with Marcello (yes, this is why I don’t quite like Catherine Deneuve!)

And you know, there are thousands of photos where he is looking so elegant in his suits..Mamma Mia!!!, but here, he is like the essence of Italy! I can imagine the face of Catherine Deneuve!!! having breakfast with him in “such a state” Oh, mon Dieu!!!

Marcello, if we had met, I would have made for you ten of these ricotta tarts!!!

Enjoy it!!

To make this Ricotta Tart, with strawberries, you will need:

For the Pâte Sucrée: follow my eternal, classic recipe here

Then,

* ricotta, 500gr *sugar, 100gr *egg, 1 *yolks, 3 *zest of lemon, 1 *corn flour (Maizena), 1tbsp *butter(melted), 1 tbsp *strawberries, many!! (I can’t say the exact quantity because that will depend on their size, but at least 1/2 kilo)

Roll out the pâte sucrée (1/2cm high), trying to have a circle slightly bigger than the intended mold. Put it on parchment paper, and on a baking tray. Put on top your ring mold (here 20cm, previously brushed with butter). Press so that the excess is cut. Take it to the fridge (min 30′) Remember each time you work with this pâte, that it has to be very cold otherwise it breaks easily.

Pre-heat oven 180°C. In a stand-mixer (or a hand one) whisk the ricotta with the sugar till creamy. Then add the agg, and then the yolks, one by one. Finally the lemon zest, and the butter and corn flour.

Remove your mold from the fridge, and immediately, pour the batter in. Take it to the oven. Bake around 30′, till the ricotta becomes golden brown and has set!

Slice the strawberries thinly (photo) and start placing them, on the outer circle of the mold, one on top of the other, leaving one third of the strawberry free (this is difficult to explain but the photos show that clearly!) When you finish, if you are not eating the tart immediately, brush the strawberries with an apricot gelée (dissolved in a bit of water) There are also special products (gelées) for this in bakery professional shops.

The King of Cheeses: Brie Cheese and Strawberry Salad *** Ensalada de Queso Brie y Frutillas (Fresas)

Why did I choose this salad?
1. Because it is simple, joyful, with plenty of colours AND incredibly tasty….

2. because it is original and all your friends will say: “Wowww !!”

3. because it takes three minutes to make it…

4. but in spite of N°3, the brie cheese and the unexpected combination give it this touch of French sophistication that will make you merit another “Wowww”

5. or just because, like Frank Sinatra sang (and Chef Chuck once told me in one comment) …it’s like “spring that sprung”….

Do we need more? Allez !! Let’s make it together…..

Obviously, our main ingredient is this brie cheese….This cheese, that now is one of my favourites, is called Brie de Meaux. It is produced in an area 50km from Paris. Tale has it that during a cheese tournament, this cheese was awarded the first prize…so it was called “le roi des fromages” (the king of cheeses).

In France, this cheese is made with unpasteurized cow milk, which gives it its richness and unparalleled flavor, with hazelnut and fruit aromas. It is soft, and has a creamy texture (see the cheese oozing?)..mind you, the texture in the photo is the right one: neither too stiff nor too runny! It shouldn’t be consumed right out of the fridge. It requires al least thirty minutes of room temperature. The cheese develops an off-white mold that should not be removed when eaten. When presented with a triangle-shaped piece of Brie, and a knife, to help yourself, don’t cut the smallest tip of the triangle for you !!! This would be considered bad manners in France (“a faux-pas”).

I know that cheese made with raw milk is forbidden in the USA, for example, which, to me, is a real pity, because when this cheese is made with pasteurized milk, it loses much of its flavour. It tastes “of nothing” to me….I am neither a physician, nor a biologist, but I don’t understand this regulation for health reasons…my common sense shows me that generations of French have been eating this cheese for ages, and nobody has died for that !!, on the contrary, French people seem to be much healthier ( in cholesterol levels, etc) than some other people from different countries, so….

I also know that some people find this type of cheese too strong…I remember when I first got to France I didn’t like it a bit….and the smell in my fridge??!!! pungent, like a corpse decaying for months….but then I got used to it, and now I have some sort of addicton for it. When I leave France on vacation, the first thing I do when coming back is to eat a generous portion of Brie, or Camembert, or Epoisses…I’ll tell you about these cheeses some other day!

Let’s go to the recipe for the salad…..

For this Brie Cheese / Strawberry Salad, you will need:

( 4 small servings )

* mixed green leaves of your choice (and/or raddish sprouts), 200 gr
* strawberries, 12
* Brie cheese, 200 gr

For the vinaigrette

* olive oil, 4 tablespoons.
* balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon
* Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon
* salt & freshly-ground pepper

Rinse the green leaves and strawberries. Dry the leaves with a salad spinner. Slice the strawberries thinly. Cut the Brie cheese in medium slices, 2 cm long (check photo). For the vinaigrette, whisk the oil, vinegar and mustard together till they combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the leaves, strawberries and cheese nicely on individual dessert dishes. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Enjoy it!

Ahora en castellano !!!

Para esta Ensalada de Queso Brie y Frutillas (fresas), se necesitan:

(4 porciones pequenas)

* hojas verdes variadas y/o brotes de rabanitos, alfalfa, 200 gr
* frutillas (fresas), 12
* queso Brie, 200 gr

Para la vinagreta,

* aceite de oliva, 4 cucharas soperas
* aceto balsamico, 1 cuchara sopera
* mostaza de Dijon, 1 cuchara de té
* sal y pimienta recién molida, a gusto.

Lave y seque los verdes y las frutillas (para los verdes, usar el centrifugo para ensaladas). Cortar las frutillas en laminas finas (sentido longitudinal). Cortar el queso en laminas medianamente finas, de 2 cm de largo (ver foto). Para la vinagreta, mezclar con un batidor chiquito todos los ingredientes, hasta emulsionar bien. Agregar sal y pimienta a gusto. Acomodar los verdes, queso y frutillas en los platos a servir. Rociar con la vinagreta.
Que la disfruten!