by Marc Vetri
Suit the Situation
One of my favorite methods of wine pairing, especially for meals at home, is the situational approach. What is going on around you matters as much as what is on the plate and what is in the glass. Who is coming to dinner? Is this a celebration? What time of year is it? Is the meal black-tie fancy or business casual? These considerations can be as critical as the flavor profile of the meal. Thanksgiving with the family calls for completely different beverages from a company dinner you’ve chosen to host at your home. Likewise, a quiet evening with your spouse begs for a different drink than the formal sit-down dinner party. I encourage you to adopt this concept for every dish and every meal, but desserts are a particularly good starting point. For instance, we often think of sparkling wine as a celebratory drink at the beginning of a meal, but it works equally well at the end of a casual dinner with something like Apple Fritters Lombarda Style or even Mom-Mom’s Rice Pudding. If you have a liquor aficionado at your stylish dinner party and a bottle of top-shelf grappa or another brandy on hand, consider pulling it out for the final course to cut through the richness of something like Olive Oil Cake. Match the beverage to the situation, and it will blend in seamlessly with the food and the guests to enhance the entire experience.
BUTTERMILK Panna Cotta
Custards top the list of my favorite comfort foods. This one gets a nice sour edge from the buttermilk. I like to serve it with Cherry Jam to jazz it up.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1¼ cups heavy cream
1¾ cups buttermilk
7 tablespoons sugar
2 vanilla beans or 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (1 package) powdered unflavored gelatin
Put the cream, buttermilk, and sugar in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise with a knife and scrape the seeds into the pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface and whisk to disperse it evenly. Put the pot over medium-low heat and gently heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture feels hot to the touch (about 170°F). Do not allow it to simmer.
Set the pan in a bowl of ice water and whisk until the cream is slightly warmer than room temperature, about 90°F. This will take only a few minutes.
Strain the cream and divide it among six 3- to 4-ounce dessert bowls. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Serve in the bowls.
PREP AHEAD
The panna cotta will keep in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
BEVERAGE—Accornero, Malvasia di Casorzo 2008 “Brigantino” (Piedmont): This off-the-map sweet frizzante red wine lightens the buttermilk richness of the panna cotta. Flavors of candied violets and blackberries make it a fun, lively after-dinner drink.
MOM-MOM’S Rice Pudding
Brad Spence brought this recipe to Amis, and it has become a staple. It was his grandmother’s recipe, and when she passed away, everyone in the family got a copy of it. She used to make it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and for all the Spence family gatherings. Mom-Mom was famous for her rice pudding. She liked to put cinnamon and raisins in it, and you can, too, if you like. But I wanted to keep it simple here. For a lighter texture, Brad sometimes folds whipped cream into the pudding just before serving it. He took this rice pudding off the menu at Amis once. Just once. Of course, someone asked for it that very day.
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
8 cups whole milk
1 (6-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Arborio rice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 vanilla bean or 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, beaten
Combine the milk, sweetened condensed milk, rice, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a knife and scrape the seeds into the pan, stirring until evenly dispersed.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is just tender, about 25 minutes, stirring now and then. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in the beaten eggs. Let cool in the pan and serve.
PREP AHEAD
You can make the rice pudding up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate it in the pan with the lid on. For a lighter texture, fold in about 2 cups whipped cream just before serving.
BEVERAGE—Foss Marai Prosecco di Valdobbiadene “Cartizze” NV (Veneto): While the days of associating Prosecco with an immediate toothache are fading, there are still great examples of these wines with elevated residual sugar, in particular this sparkler from one of the Veneto’s only cru vineyard sites.
Blueberry Custard Tarts
Blueberry Custard TARTS
These little custards take only a few minutes to assemble, and they really pop with flavor. They’re great to keep in the fridge for a few days so you can have a nice-looking dessert ready at a moment’s notice. I like blueberries best here, but try whatever other fruits are in season. If you don’t have grappa, use another spirit like Cognac or apple brandy. You could even use a liqueur like limoncello, which would add a touch more sweetness.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
8 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons grappa
1 vanilla bean or 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1¾ cups heavy cream, at room temperature
2 pints fresh blueberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Cut a circular piece of parchment to fit the bottom of each ramekin and place inside. Spray the parchment, then put the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
Put the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and grappa in a medium bowl. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a knife, scrape the seeds into the bowl, and whisk until the vanilla disperses evenly and the sugar completely dissolves. Add the cream and whisk again.
Pour blueberries into each ramekin to within about ½ inch of the top. Pour in the custard to barely cover the blueberries.
Put the baking sheet in the oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come at least ¼ inch up the sides of the ramekins to insulate the custard. Bake until the custard is slightly jiggly in the center and a knife inserted into the center comes out almost clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the ramekins from the water and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until cold.
To serve, run a knife around the edge of each custard, shake it loose, and put a plate on top. Invert the plate and ramekin together, then shake the custard from the ramekin as you pull it up and off. Remove the parchment if it sticks to the custard.
PREP AHEAD
The custards will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but are best within 24 hours.
BEVERAGE—Terre del Granito, Aleatico d’Elba 2006 (Elba): This late-harvest red wine from Southern Italy features notes of chocolate accompanied by dried prune, resulting from a little appassimento, a technique of drying the grapes to concentrate their sugars and flavors.
Rhubarb STRUDEL
Strudel dough can be a challenge to make, but it’s really a fun process. You have to stretch the dough like pizza dough, but so thinly that you can see your hand through it. It’s like a test of wills between you and the dough. How far will it stretch without ripping? You have quite a sense of accomplishment when you do it right. Follow the directions here to the letter, and you’ll have something truly remarkable to sit down and enjoy.
MAKES ABOUT 12 SERVINGS
STRUDEL DOUGH
¾ cup water
3⅓ cups tipo 00 or all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
RHUBARB FILLING
1½ pounds (26 oz) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch pieces
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1½
cups sugar
⅔ cup cornstarch
1 vanilla bean or 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, clarified (see Prep Ahead)
PISTACHIO HONEY
¾ cup honey
¼ cup chopped pistachios
For the strudel dough: Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed using a paddle attachment until the dough forms a smooth ball, about 6 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap it in plastic, and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.
For the rhubarb filling: Toss the rhubarb, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise with a knife and scrape the seeds into the rhubarb mixture, mixing until incorporated. Let stand for 45 minutes, then strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl.
To assemble the strudel: Place a cloth (a clean old bedsheet works great) over a large table that you can walk around, like your dining room table, and generously flour the cloth.
Lightly flour a large, separate work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle as large and thin as you can. Carefully transfer the dough to the floured cloth. Remove any jewelry from your hands and wrists, then dip the backs of your hands in flour.
Holding your hands in loose fists with your thumbs tucked underneath, slide your hands under the center of the dough. Gently pull your hands away from each other, stretching the dough between them. Bounce the dough on the backs of your hands to move left or right, so that you can stretch the dough evenly all the way around, like stretching pizza dough. You will need to walk around the table as the dough gets larger. You want to stretch the dough into as thin a sheet as possible. Resist the inevitable desire to pinch the dough in order to thin it—that could cause it to tear. Just keep moving your fists from the center toward the edge, allowing the weight of the dough and the movement of your hands to stretch it thinly. When the dough is so thin that you can see the shadow of your hands through it (or even read a printed sheet of paper through it), trim off the thick edges all around the perimeter with a knife. You should be left with a large rectangle of very thin dough.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using a pastry brush, splatter the clarified butter evenly over the dough (avoid brushing the dough itself, which could cause it to tear). Arrange the filling in a 4-inch-wide column along one of the short sides of the dough, leaving a 4-inch border all around the column. Starting at the fruited side, use the cloth to fold the 4-inch margin of dough up over the column of filling. Continue picking up the cloth to roll the strudel, jelly-roll style, into a tight roll (avoid touching the dough itself; just pick up the cloth and start rolling).
Put the rolled strudel on a buttered baking sheet and splatter the top with the remaining clarified butter. Bake until brown and crisp, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan on a wire rack until just warm, at least 30 minutes.
For the pistachio honey: Heat the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat until warm. Add the chopped pistachios.
Slice the strudel and drizzle with the warm pistachio honey.
PREP AHEAD
The dough needs to rest overnight in the refrigerator, so that gives you a day’s jump on things. You can also clarify the butter up to 1 month in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Just warm it up before using it.
To clarify the butter, melt it in a small saucepan over medium heat until it stops bubbling and a white foam forms on the surface. Skim off the white foam and pour the clear golden clarified butter underneath into a small bowl, leaving behind the milky liquid in the bottom of the pan.
BEVERAGE—Canal del Ronco, Picolit 2003 (Friuli): Unlike the majority of the wine selections in this book, Picolit is somewhat scarce, but worth searching for. It’s lush with floral aromas and sweet citrus flavors.
Amaretti Semifreddo with Warm Chocolate Sauce
Amaretti Semifreddo WITH WARM CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Not everyone has an ice cream machine. Luckily, you don’t need one to make creamy frozen desserts at home. Make semifreddo, which means “half-frozen.” It’s like gelato, but you fold in whipped cream and egg whites into the base before it goes into the freezer so the mixture is light and airy. That way, you don’t have to churn it. I like to mix crushed amaretti (Italian almond cookies) right into the semifreddo mixture, like cookies and cream Italian style.
MAKES 2 QUARTS; SERVES 6 TO 8
4 eggs, separated
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
¾ cup crushed amaretti cookies
1 cup Chocolate Sauce
¼ cup chopped almonds
Put the 8 egg yolks and the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on medium speed until firm peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into the yolk mixture but wait to fold it in.
In the same bowl as the whites were whipped in, whip the cream and amaretti on medium-low speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gently fold the whipped cream and egg white mixtures into the yolk mixture using a rubber spatula. Scrape into quart containers, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. To serve, heat the chocolate sauce, stirring often, over very low heat in a small saucepan. Spoon 2 or 3 scoops of semifreddo into each dessert bowl, then drizzle with the warm chocolate sauce and sprinkle with the almonds.
VANILLA SEMIFREDDO
Increase the sugar to ¾ cup. Omit the amaretti. Split a vanilla bean lengthwise with a knife and scrape the seeds into the yolk mixture before proceeding with the recipe. Or use 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract.
PREP AHEAD
You can crush the amaretti cookies in a food processor and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Freeze the semifreddo in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
BEVERAGE—Librandi, Le Passule 2005 (Calabria): Raisinated Montanico grapes create a light body that is uncommon in sweet wines. Dried fruit with almond and citrus peel aromas blend well with the chocolate and enhance the semifreddo itself.
Waffles WITH NUTELLA AND SEMIFREDDO
My friend Michael Symon came back from a trip to Italy in 2009 raving about some waffles he had in Sicily with gobs and gobs of Nutella on them. So when Michael came to visit, I decided to make him my version of the dish he fell in love with. It has since become my kids’ favorite dessert.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
WAFFLE BATTER
2½ cups Waffle Starter
1 cup milk
1 cup tipo 00 or all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 1¼ teaspoons packed fresh cake yeast, or 2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 vanilla bean
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
TOPPINGS
6 tablespoons Nutella
1½ cups Vanilla Semifreddo
6 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped (see recipe for Hazelnut Honey)
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
For the waffle batter: The day before, combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until mixed. You can also blend in a large bowl with an immersion blender. Either way, put the blended mixture into a bowl twice the volume of the batter. Cover and let rise in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 24 hours.
The next day, heat and oil a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s directions and cook the waffles as directed. You can hold the cooked waffles in a 250°F oven for up to 20 minutes to keep them warm.
To serve: Spread 1 tablespoon of Nutella on each warm waffle. Top each with a scoop or two of semifreddo, then sprinkle on 1 tablespoon toasted hazelnuts. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
PREP AHEAD
The waffle batter needs to be made 1 day ahead so it can rise
overnight.
BEVERAGE—Ginger Beer Ice Cream Float: This is a kid’s dream dessert, so I like to keep that theme going by pairing it with an ice cream float made with ginger beer (Amis serves a homemade version) and some fior di latte gelato. Bring out your inner kid.
Chocolate-Hazelnut TARTUFO
This is a chocolate-lover’s dream. It takes a little work but is so satisfying to eat—and to look at! On a round base of rich chocolate cake rests a dome of chocolate and cherry semifreddo studded with candied hazelnuts and enrobed in a firm chocolate shell. It’s like a little igloo of chocolate bliss. You’ll need some glacé cherries, and six silicone hemisphere molds to form the domes, both of which can be found in specialty culinary shops and online (see Sources).
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SEMIFREDDO
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably 58 percent cocoa, chopped
6 egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
3 egg whites
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup Candied Hazelnuts, chopped
18 glacé cherries, drained
CHOCOLATE CAKE
1½ cups tipo 00 or all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1¾ cups sugar
⅔ cup canola oil
2 eggs
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
CHOCOLATE SHELL
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably 58 percent cocoa, chopped
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
