PAN DI SPAGNA FARCITO - (SPONGE CAKE FILLED WITH CREAM)

Pan di Spagna refers to a sponge cake with layers filled with various creams.  Pan di Spagna can also be eaten by itself with fruit or it can be used as a base for Zuppa Inglese.

In my childhood, when the tables were poor, we used to wait for the holidays to eat elaborate and tasty dishes.  Pan di Spagna was prepared for Easter Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It was also used as a wedding cake. Usually, made with 20 eggs, cut crosswise into three discs soaked in rum, liqueur and espresso coffee and then filled with creams - a chocolate, an almond and a vanilla. The surface was sprinkled with white powdered sugar.    

Today, I make Pan di Spagna at Easter and to celebrate special occasions.

Celebrating my daughter's birthday

Ingredients

6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups flour

1/2 cup strong espresso coffee, cooled

1/4 cup dark rum (or any liquor)

1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp grated lemon peel

butter and flour for the pan (In Italy we used wax paper to fit in a 10” round pan)

Directions

Separate the eggs putting the yolks in a large bowl and the whites in a smaller bowl. Add the sugar to the yolks, and beat until very thick and light yellow in color.

1. Beat the whites until they stand stiff.
2. Fold the whites into the yolk-sugar mixture. Turn it over slowly and gently until completely mixed.
3. Sift the flour.
4. Fold the flour slowly, a bit at a time, to the egg-sugar mixture.
5. Add the vanilla and lemon peel, folding in gently.
6. Butter and flour a 9" cake pan. Pour in the batter and bake at 350F  for about 30 minutes. When done the cake will be toasty on top, and a toothpick will come out clean.
7. Turn upside down to cool.  Let cool for few minutes.  (Remove wax paper, if used.) 
8. Let cool completely.
9. When cool, cut crosswise into two discs.  Soak each disc with cold espresso coffee, rum or any liquor of your choice.
10. Add creams over each disc.
11. Dust white confectionery sugar over the surface.

 

TIP

Remember, first of all, once the sponge cake is in the oven do not open the door until the cake is finished cooking otherwise the sponge will deflate.  Once cooked, shut off the oven and let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the oven.

 

HAPPY EASTER!    

 

 

 

 
you may also like:

Traditional Easter Desserts from Abruzzo (Dolci Pasquali)

Brioche con crema, Cream Puffs,Profiteroles

 

Fiadone Salato

Although far from our homeland, during the holidays, our kitchen speaks absolutely Abruzzo!

My last post discussed the recipe for Fiadoncini (tiny fiadoni) or Pastoni which are made of fresh basket cheese and ricotta.  This large, rustic fiadone is made with grated, semi-hard, dry cheeses - usually sheep, goat or cow.  The fiadone can be made with or without a pastry shell as shown in the picture below.  Due to its saltiness, I prefer to eat it for lunch or a quick supper.

Fiadone without pastry shell
All photo Copyright - ©2012 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb
 

Dough
4 Eggs
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of milk

1 lb. of unbleached flour
10" round pan

Filling
2 lb. of semi-hard cheese (sheep and cow)
8 eggs
1 packet of yeast
½ teaspoon black pepper

Make a fountain of flour on the kitchen table.  At the center put the eggs, oil and milk.

Knead vigorously to obtain a homogeneous mixture.  Let dough rest for ½ hour.  

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it reaches a thickness of ½ inch.

Line an oiled cake pan with pastry.  Leave a border of about 2 inches which will be needed once the filling is poured into the mold to cover the edges of the fiadone.

Filling

In a bowl put the grated cheese, the beaten eggs, the packet of yeast, and black pepper.  

Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon in order to obtain a creamy and homogeneous mixture and pour into the lined cake pan.  

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the fiadone is swollen and colorful. 

Buona Pasqua!

Fiadoncini (Pastoni) Abruzzesi

Although far from our homeland, during the holidays, our kitchen speaks absolutely Abruzzo! 
 

Around this time last year, I blogged about our Easter traditions and our tasty, cheesy traditional Easter desserts called fiadoncini or pastoni. 

At the request of blog followers, here is the recipe for fiadoncini.

Fiadoncini or Pastoni

All photo Copyright - ©2012 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 lb. of unbleached flour
2 eggs
½ cup of wine
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of baking soda

Filling

Salty
1 1/2 lb. basket cheese or ricotta
3 eggs
salt and black pepper

Sweet
Omit salt and black pepper and add 1/2 cup of sugar to the cheese

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For the dough

At the center of the fountain of flour add the oil, the wine, the eggs, salt, sugar and baking soda and beat lightly with a fork.

Mix well until the dough is soft and elastic. 
Let the dough rest for at least 1 \ 2 hour.

For the filling.  Mix well the eggs with the cheese.   Add either sugar for sweet or salt and black pepper for salty.

Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick.  Using a 6 inch cookie cutter cut pastry.
Put a tablespoon of filling in the center of each pastry, moisten edges with water or egg and close to half moon.  Seal well.

With the tip of the scissors make two cuts on the top of each one. 
 
Brush with egg yolk diluted with a little milk and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until golden brown around 20 to 25 minutes.
 
They can be frozen!

 

EATING WELL ON THE CHEAP - Shop Wisely

In today's economy,  many of us are trying to stretch our food dollars and still eat a healthy diet.  It takes a little knowledge, time, and planning, but it is possible to enjoy healthy food on the cheap.  The conventional grocery store is not the only place to buy food, especially fresh produce.  From summer ‘till late fall, I buy my produce at Farmers’ Markets.  In the winter months, I shop at ethnic markets where they have a great selection of fruits and vegetables at affordable prices.

Receipt

I admit one will not find these prices in a major city, but today I spent $8.21 on all this produce at my local ethnic market. 

All photos - Copyright - ©2012 - La Casa e Il Giardino

2 heads of Romaine Lettuce - $1.00

5.89  lb. golden delicious apples - $.50/lb.- $2.95

Indian eggplant - $.99/lb. -$.89
Zucchini - $.99/lb. - $1.56
White and red potatoes - 4 lb./$1.00 - $.81

6 lemons - $1.00 

Zucchini Fritters

Pasta e Piselli (Pasta and Peas)

Fresh peas at the market herald spring's arrival.

With their delicate and sweet taste, shelled peas add flavor, texture, and color to any dish.

I especially love them with pasta, as in Pasta e Piselli.



Pasta e Piselli
All photos - Copyright - ©2012 - La Casa e Il Giardino

Ingredients

2 lb. peas in shells (in the alternate 1 package of frozen fresh peas) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 large onion chopped 1 tsp. red pepper flakes in oil 1/2 cup of water 1 pound of small shells Salt and pepper  

Shell the peas.

Heat the olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent.

Add the shelled peas, red pepper flakes in oil, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of water.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta.

Cook uncovered over high heat until al dente.

Drain pasta and add to the peas.  Mix well and serve.