L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015 www.italoamericano.com 13 L'Italo-Americano T h e r e i s p l e n t y t o p o n d e r about the New Year. Some of it is pretty philosophical, like how to live a fulfilled life and how to treat your fellow man with kind- ness and respect. But there is a practical side too, such as what to do with all that citrus-studded panettone you received from f r i e n d s a n d v i s i t o r s o v e r t h e Christmas holiday. As good as it is right out of that pretty box, or toasted with a bit of butter at breakfast time, at my house there are always entire loaves that remain unopened once Christmas is over. Panettone is delightful as a c o m p o n e n t o f d e s s e r t s a n d brunch fare, but on the savory side, the candied orange peel and raisin flavors of this classic make a wonderfully satisfying panino when paired with juicy ham and a tasty cheese. The truth is that panettone will not keep until next Christmas, so here are a few ways to enjoy Italy's stellar yea- sted bread. C o p p e t t e a l l a C r e m a d i Ricotta serves 4 It's hard to know which is the star of this dessert - the panetto- ne or the Biscotti Famosi liqueur. The liqueur, a sweet elixir from northern Italy, combines the fla- vors of citrus, hazelnuts, and fen- nel for an exquisitely delightful taste, the perfect complement to t h e c l a s s i c p a n e t t o n e f l a v o r palette. Serve a glass of Biscotti Famosi with the coppette. • 14 ounces fresh ricotta • 3-4 tablespoons of granula- ted sugar • 1 vanilla bean • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon diced candied orange peel • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon choco- late mini morsels • ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed, divided • ¼ c u p F a r e t t i B i s c o t t i Famosi liqueur • 1 ¾ cups panettone, cut into • 1-inch dice Place the ricotta in a sieve set over a bowl. Cover and refrigera- te 2 hours to drain. Place the sugar in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal knife. Split the vanilla bean, and scrape the seeds into the proces- s o r b o w l . D i s c a r d t h e b e a n . Process the sugar and vanilla seeds for 30 seconds, until pow- der fine. Add the drained ricotta to the workbowl. Process until smooth. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta mixture and ¼ cup each of the candied orange peel and chocolate mini morsels along with 2 tablespoons of the chop- ped nuts. Place the panettone cubes in the bottom of each of 4 c o m p o t e g l a s s e s . D r i z z l e t h e Biscotti Famosi liqueur over the p a n e t t o n e c u b e s t o m o i s t e n . Distribute the crema di ricotta over the moistened panettone. Top with the remaining candied orange peel, chocolate mini mor- sels, and toasted nuts and serve. Panini di Panettone serves 2 Break out your panini maker! Grilled panettone, with its classic flavor of candied citrus peel, A Mountain of Panettone ADRI BARR CROCETTI MAESTRO BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE Also served at many of your favorite restaurants! www.maestrosausage.com Find us exclusively at the following retailers: Sorrento Italian Market 5518 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 Beef Palace Butcher Shop 5895 Warner & Springdale HunƟngton Beach, CA 92649 The Butchery 415 South Associated Rd Brea, CA 92821 The Butchery 103 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA 92627 The Meat House 23982 Alicia Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Vicente Foods 12027 San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 Roma Italian Deli & Grocery 918 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104 Bay CiƟes Imports 1517 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 Eastside Market Italian Deli 1013 Alpine St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Eagle Rock Italian Bakery 1726 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 CavareƩa's Italian Deli 22045 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303 Mickey's Deli 101 Hermosa Beach Ave. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Grand View Market 12210 Venice Blvd Mar Vista, CA 90291 Venice Ranch Market 425 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291 makes a delightful envelope for juicy ham and meltingly delight- f u l I t a l i a n f o n t i n a c h e e s e . Fontina, with its pale yellow interior and rich nutty flavor is a cow's milk cheese from the Val d'Aosta. If you can not find I t a l i a n f o n t i n a , m o z z a r e l l a makes a nice substitute, althou- g h i t d o e s n o t m e l t q u i t e a s lusciously as fontina. Let your own taste and hunger be your guide for how much ham and cheese to add to the sandwich. With a nice green salad and a glass of Nebbiolo wine, this sandwich will wow your lun- c h e o n g u e s t s a n d h a v e y o u seeing panettone in an entirely new light. • 4 slices of panettone, edges t r i m m e d , e a c h a b o u t ¾ i n c h thick • 2 thick slices of ham • Sliced Italian fontina • Unsalted butter, softened • Dijon mustard Lightly butter both sides of the panettone slices. Spread a bit of the mustard on 1 side of all slices. Stack the cheese and h a m o n e a c h s l i c e a t o p t h e mustard-coated side. Top with the remaining slices of panetto- ne, with the mustard-coated side against the meat or cheese. Heat a panini maker to medium, and grill until the cheese is melted and the ham is warmed through. These panini may be grilled, one side at a time, on a grill pan or in a skillet. Cut in half and serve at once. Panettone French Toast serves 4 • 1 pound of Panettone • 6 large eggs • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 cup milk • ¼ cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 tablespoon of brandy • Grated zest of 1 orange • Pinch of fine sea salt • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg • Unsalted butter, softened • Confectioner's sugar, for dusting • Pomegranate seeds for gar- nish R e m o v e a n d d i s c a r d t h e paper, and cut the top from the panettone. Cut the panettone into 1-inch thick slices, cutting the very large inner slices in half. Place the eggs, heavy cream, m i l k , s u g a r , v a n i l l a e x t r a c t , brandy, orange zest, sea salt, and nutmeg in a low baking dish, and whisk until blended. Place the panettone slices in the mix- ture, 2 or 3 at a time. Soak, tur- n i n g o n c e , a b o u t 1 0 t o 1 5 seconds per side. Heat a griddle over medium h e a t a n d b r u s h l i g h t l y w i t h unsalted butter. Cook the moi- stened panettone until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Cooked slices may be kept warm in a 200 degree F. oven. Serve topped with a knob of sof- tened butter, a dusting of confec- tioner's sugar, and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds for color. Q u e s t i o n s ? E m a i l m e a t adri@AdriBarrCrocetti.com or visit at AdriBarrCrocetti.com Coppette alla creama di ricotta Panettoni, an Italian holiday tradition

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