L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 38 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES B uona estate! The summer heat is upon us and if you are like me, you are always searching for that easy refreshing summer dessert that keeps you out of the kitchen and in the pool. Cue the beach music. Enter the Italian dessert 'semi- freddo'. 'Semifreddo' is one dessert that you are probably not making but should. It is the laid back cousin of glorious gelato and its preparation requires little, mak- ing it an ideal 'go to' treat for lazy, hot summer days. It's name translates to 'semi-cold' and unlike its colder cousin, this soft, velvety dessert is super sim- ple to make and can be made in advance. No special equipment is required. No churning. No detailed prep. In fact, some ver- sions do not even require you to turn on a stove. Semifreddo has long been a tradition in Italy but for reasons beyond my comprehension, is rarely given its due. This chilly concoction is akin to a frozen mousse. It sometimes involves beaten egg yolks which is bit more work to make but it can also be as simple as a velvety combination of beaten egg whites folded together with airy whipped cream, as with this recipe. It can be flavored with nuts, cookies, fruit and then sim- ply poured into a loaf pan (or any other shape for that matter) and frozen. The egg yolk version requires cooking a custard or zabaglione precisely and removing from the heat prior to the egg yolks cur- dling. Although I am sure this version is delicious, why do all that work when (almost) the same frosty result can be had MICHELE BECCI with just egg whites and cream? Seriously. Take the easy way out. For this recipe, I have used ground pistachios for texture and crunch. This recipe requires nothing more than a hand mixer and a few bowls. Beaten egg whites are gently incorporated into whipped cream along with the nuts and boom. Done. Pour into any handy mold and freeze. Then go take in the summer day. Go take a swim. Pour a glass of crisp vino. Wallow in lazy. By dinner, your dessert will be ready to impress your guests. When dinner is done, simply pull it from the freezer (with a bit of flair). Flip onto a serving plat- ter. Unmold and peel off the plas- tic wrap. Wait for the oohs and ahhs as you slice onto a plate. For added flair, shower your slice with additional chopped pista- 'Semifreddo' is the laid-back cousin of glorious gelato but no special equipment is required to make it Pistachio Semifreddo: An Easy Italian Dessert to Add Some Chill THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017 chios. Dramatically shave some dark chocolate on top. Your guests will be duly impressed. (Or alternatively, simple scoop into bowls or glasses and follow on with chopped nuts and choco- late. This tends to be my pre- ferred method after the guests have gone and I remember there is some remaining in the freezer.) Tip: Chill your bowls or plates in summer weather to keep every- thing chilling just a bit longer when you serve your frosty treat! So with summer upon us, add this easy frosty dessert to your summer repertoire. You will thank me as you glide around the pool on your little floaty for a few extra precious rays. Buona estate! Michele Pistachio Semifreddo Ingredients: • About 1½ cups shelled pis- tachios, plus more for sprinkling on top • ¾ cup sugar • 6 large egg whites • 2 cups very cold heavy cream • Piece of dark chocolate for shaving on top (optional) Directions: 1. Line a standard loaf pan (8 ½ by 4) with plastic wrap, leav- ing about a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Set aside. 2. Place 1 cup of the pista- chios in a food processor with ½ cup sugar and pulse until very finely ground. Toss in the remaining ½ cup pistachios and pulse to coarsely grind. (You want the texture of both finely and coarsely ground nuts for the semifreddo.) 3. Beat the egg whites in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer with chilled beaters. (This keeps everything smooth and creamy.) Beat just until stiff soft peaks form. 4. Whip the cream, adding the remaining ¼ cup sugar a little at a time. Continue whipping until still peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the pista- chio nut mixture until incorporat- ed. 5. Fold in the egg white mix- ture next, stirring gently but thor- oughly, until incorporated. 6. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover and freeze until firm, about 5 hours. To serve, unmold onto a plate. Peel off the plastic wrap. Slice and serve sprinkled with addi- tional chopped pistachios and perhaps a bit of shaved chocolate. Alternatively, scoop the semi- freddo into cups or bowls and sprinkle with the pistachios and chocolate. 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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