L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 38 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES H ere in California the sea- sons are subtle; in most o f I t a l y — t h o u g h i t s h a r e s w i t h C a l i f o r n i a a "Mediterranean" climate—the s e a s o n s a r e a b i t m o r e p r o - nounced, and their transitions clearer. There is also among Italians an unshakable sense that food be made when it is in sea- son, something we too often lack in California, where internation- al produce and long-distance shipping keep our markets filled with pretty much the same fruits a n d v e g e t a b l e s n e a r l y y e a r - r o u n d . T h i s s e e m s c r a z y t o Italians, who revere the way sea- sonality reflected in particular dishes (and region) give each season a distinctive cuisine. Each season's food depends on what's fresh, what's being har- vested at that moment, and how these fresh ingredients can be not only used, but celebrated. As spring turns toward sum- mer and the weather warms, we look for lighter fare and the chance to take advantage of the advancing onslaught of delicious fresh fruit that marks the season. An ideal canvas for desserts fea- turing a variety of sweet fruits is simple but delicious panna cotta, one of Italy's most beloved and classic sweet dishes. P a n n a c o t t a ( o r " c o o k e d milk") must be the world's sim- plest dessert; yet it impresses guests and tastes wonderful. It's really a blank canvas to add other flavors: in this case, basil and lemon. It's best to make it t h e d a y b e f o r e s e r v i n g a n d refrigerate it overnight. If you m a k e a n d s e r v e t h i s c l a s s i c dessert in flip-top jars, it can be made in advance and avoid hav- i n g t h e p a n n a c o t t a a b s o r b JOSEPH BECCI refrigerator odors. Adding gelatin thickens the warm cream. My preferred type is gelatin sheets, available at specialty restaurant suppliers and online. I use "silver sheets" with "160 bloom power" (there are other strengths) from Surfas in Los Angeles (Culver City). This type of gelatin is guaranteed to melt nicely into the warm liquid. For this recipe, the strawberry Panna cotta is one of Italy's most beloved and classic sweet dishes Basil and lemon infused panna cotta with strawberry sauce THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017 sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated. Serves 6 to 8 people. Ingredients and Directions: Ingredients: • 4 oz. fresh basil, washed and dried with paper towels • 4 cups heavy cream • 6 gelatin sheets • 1 cup + ⅓ cup sugar, sepa- rated • Grated zest from 1 lemon • ½ lemon, juiced • 1 pint ripe strawberries, washed • Mint leaves Instructions: Panna Cotta In a saucepan gently heat the cream over low heat. Add the basil and lemon zest and gently steep as you would a tea. Once the basil is fully wilted, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour. In a bowl of cool water, place the gelatin sheets to soften. S t r a i n t h e c r e a m m i x t u r e through a fine mesh strainer into another saucepan. Put the cream mixture over medium heat (do not let it boil). When the cream is warm add the 1 cup of sugar and lemon juice. Stir to dissolve. Remove the softened gelatin sheets from the water and wring the water out with your hands and add to the warm cream. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour mixture into 6 dessert cups and cover. Place cups onto a tray and then put in the refrig- erator to chill and set about 6 hours or overnight. Serve with strawberry sauce and top with a few fresh mint leaves if you like. Strawberry Sauce Hull the washed strawberries or just cut off the tops. Place the strawberries in a small saucepan and add the ⅓ cup sugar. Stir to combine. Place over medium-low heat and let the strawberries become very soft. Using an immersion blender, puree the strawberries. Strain through a fine mess strainer into a measuring cup for easy pouring. Cover and refrig- erate until ready to serve. 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.

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