L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 19 L'Italo-Americano B a b y , i t ' s h o t o u t s i d e ! S u m m e r i s i n f u l l s w i n g a n d when the heat rises, you need some refreshing treats to cool you down. What better way to do so but with a few Italian- inspired creations. The first treat, Roasted Peach Winesicles, is a riff on one of my truly favorite Italian 'desserts' – p e a c h e s i n r e d w i n e . I n o u r Italian family, we grew up with our relatives forever tossing pea- ches in their red wine on a hot s u m m e r ' s e v e . N o n e e d f o r fancy desserts in our family – just bring along the peaches. There was always wine around. I fondly remember our grand- father sitting under his pergola o n a s u m m e r ' s e v e – s l i c i n g fresh peaches with his pocket knife, letting them slowly slide from the knife to his wine glass while we sat mesmerized wat- ching. Occasionally, he would offer us a wine-dipped peach in exchange for a solemn promise to not tell our mother. (We never did.) So, with peaches in season a n d a r e c e n t f l u r r y o f b o o z y popsicle recipes floating on the b l o g s , I t h o u g h t I ' d g i v e m y favorite dessert a try as a winesi- cle. I simply tossed a few pea- ches in a bit of lemon juice and sugar. Roasted them until soft and juicy. Tossed 2 of them in a b l e n d e r . M i x e d i n s o m e r e d wine. Done and out of the kit- c h e n i n n o t i m e . A n d o h s o refreshing after a long day in the sun. The second treat is perfect for when it is so hot that you feel like sticking your head in the refrigerator to cool off. Try this easy Sicilian treat instead, water- m e l o n p u d d i n g ( o r ' G e l o d'Anguria). I first had this refre- shing treat in bustling Palermo while sitting on a pier near the water – a much needed break from a day of exploring the flea markets near the sea – and it was love at first bite. The blend of the chocolate or pistachios (or both) with the watermelon pud- ding is exquisite. Try whipping up some fresh cream to dollop on top. Use little mini chocolate chips and toss them in to resem- ble seeds if your heart desires. T h i s s u m m e r y r e c i p e i s a n impressive yet simple way to end a meal on a hot summer's day. And should you have any of that watermelon juice left over, just stir in some vodka and toss over ice. No need at all to stick your head in the fridge. Enjoy the rest of summer! Buon estate! Michele Gelo d'Anguria (Watermelon Pudding) B e a t t h e S u m m e r H e a t : W i n e s i c l e s a n d Watermelon MICHELE BECCI Ingredients: • About 4 cups of watermelon juice (I used a 5 pound waterme- lon) • ½ cup cornstarch • ½ cup sugar (or more to taste) • Dark chocolate, roughly chopped • Pistachios, roughly chopped Preparation: C h o p u p t h e w a t e r m e l o n , remove any seeds and toss it into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. P l a c e t h e c o r n s t a r c h i n a medium pot. Add in some of the watermelon juice (about 1 cup) and stir until smooth and the cornstarch has dissolved com- pletely. Add in the rest of the juice and stir. Bring to a slow simmer over medium low heat. Add in the sugar. Taste. (I like my desserts less sweet. Add up to ½ cup more sugar if you desi- re.) Cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the mixture to thicken. Continue to stir. When the mix- ture coats the back of the spoon, remove from heat. Pour into bowls, glasses, ramekins of your choice. Place in the refrigerator and chill until set, approximately 4 hours. Sprinkle with the dark choco- late and pistachios. Serve with freshly whipped cream if you desire. Enjoy! Roasted Peach Winesicles Ingredients: • 3 peaches • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 lemon • 1 cup dry red wine Special equipment: • Popsicle mold Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Place the pea- c h e s i n a m e d i u m b o w l . Sprinkle with the juice of the lemon. Add about 1 teaspoon sugar and toss again. Arrange the peaches, cut side up, in a baking dish or on a sheet tray. Place in oven and roast until the peaches are tender, 25- 30 minutes. Check occasional- l y . R e m o v e f r o m o v e n . L e t cool. P l a c e 4 p e a c h h a l v e s i n a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Add in the red wine and stir until incorporated. Dice the r e m a i n i n g 2 p e a c h h a l v e s , discarding the skin. Place a bit of the diced pea- ches in the bottom of each of the popsicle molds. Carefully pour i n t h e w i n e / p e a c h m i x t u r e . Freeze for approximately 1 hour. Add in the sticks and freeze overnight. Joe and Michele Becci are a brother and sister team who love all things Italian. Together, from opposite coasts, they co-author the blog OurItalianTable.com. Roasted peach winesicles Watermelon pudding

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