Calabria
The region in the south
Recipes
Chocolate covered figs
Regional name: Fica c'a cicculata
Almonds, figs and dark chocolate make for an irresistible dessert.
Ingredients
Servings 4 1 ¾ lb dried figs
5 oz almonds
2 cloves
2 ½ oz candied citron
1 pinch cinnamon
3 ½ oz dark chocolate,grated
2 ½ oz sugar
water to taste
Preparation
20 minutes preparation + 5 minutes cooking
-Slice the figs down the middle without separating them.
-Lightly toast the almonds in a frying pan over low heat, making sure to turn them often.
-Grind the cloves into a powder using the heel of a knife.
-Dice the citron.
-Place an almond, a pinch of clove powder and a cube of citron on the fig and close.
-Repeat with all of the figs, then arrange in a baking dish.
-Bake in a 350 ° F oven until golden, then remove.
-Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie together with the cinnamon.
-Dip half of each fig in the chocolate and place on a piece of parchment paper to harden.
-Serve, dusted with powdered sugar.
Chef's Tips: Chocolate covered figs should be stored in a wooden drawer or a tin box lined with waxed paper.
Devil’s Tart (Crostata del Diavolo)
Sweet heat is popular in southern Italy, as evidenced by this tart, which is a specialty of the Sabbia d' Oro restaurant of the Calabrian province of Cosenza (see also here).
Chile jam is readily available from mail order sources.
Ingredients:
5 ounces soft butter
5 ounces sugar
1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
11 ounces flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
5 ounces orange jam
4 ounces red chile jam (Marmellata di Peperoncino)
4 ounces almonds, peeled and chopped
2 ounces confectioner’s sugar
Preparation:
-In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and mix well.
-Add the egg yolks, egg, and lemon peel.
-In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder and slowly add to the butter-sugar-egg-mixture.
-Roll out half of the dough and spread over a tart dish (pie dish).
-Spread the orange jam evenly on the dough in the pie dish, and then the chile jam evenly on top of the orange jam.
- Combine the almonds with the remaining half of the dough, mix well, and roll out in the size of the pie dish.
-Tightly cover the tart in the dish with the rolled-out dough sheet.
-Bake the tart at 350 degrees F. for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.
-Let cool on a rack and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
Pesce spada alla Bagnarese
Sword fish Bagnara style
Ingredients
Penne – 1 lb. cooked al dente -
Sword Fish – 2 steaks, trimmed from bone and cubed into 1 ½” pieces
Garlic – 4 to 5 cloves, rough chopped
Olive Oil – about ½ a cup
Graffiti Eggplant – 2 cut into squares 1” or smaller (substitute: Japanese eggplant)
Cherry Tomatoes – 2 large handfuls, halved
Pine nuts – ½ cup, toasted in a hot sauté pan for about 1 to 2 minutes
Capers – 2 teaspoons
Parsley – large handful, flat leaf, rough chopped
Lemon – zested and juiced
White Wine – about a glass and a half
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Preparation
-Bring your pasta water to a boil And cook your penne noodles al dente.
-Drain. Reserve a cup of the now starchy cooking water.
-In a large sauté pan heat 2 glugs olive oil over high heat.
-Add your eggplant and garlic.
-Cook until you get some color on the eggplant, then remove to a plate.
-Salt and Pepper your chunks of halibut.
-Reduce heat to medium high, in the same pan add a glug more oil if needed, then sauté your sword fish until it starts to brown on all sides.
-This should only take about 2 minutes or so.
-Stir in ¾ of your parsley.
-Add your wine and lemon juice, let the alcohol cook off a bit.
-Remove pan from heat and re-add your cooked eggplant and garlic.
-Fold in your cooked penne, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, capers and remaining olive oil.
-Adjust your seasoning with salt and pepper.
-Now take a look at your sauce coating the noodles… if they look too dry add a dash more olive oil and some of the reserved cooking water.
-Transfer to a large serving bowl, garnish with remaining parsley, lemon zest, and enjoy.
Serves 4
