L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2017 W hen you think of sweet and delicious Ita- lian Christ- mas treats, torrone ranks up there as a favo- rite! Torrone or nougat is a con- fectionery typically made with egg whites, honey, and nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts. It seems that the name gets its origin from the Latin word "torrere" meaning "to toast." Although enjoyed at Christmas time throu- ghout many areas of Italy, this tra- ditional candy is also found in Spain and France. Of course, as with any spe- cialty food such as torrone, it is difficult to know its origin for sure. Back in 116 BC, during the Roman Empire, Marco Terenzio Marrone wrote about cupeto or cuppedo, which was similar to tor- rone as we know it. Then later, in the 4th or 5th century AD, refe- rence is made to a sweet contai- ning egg whites, almonds and ho- ney in one of the oldest known recipe books, De Re Culinaria. Still others believe that torrone came from the Middle East as the Arabs spoke of a sweet named "turun." In Italy, it is believed that the legend of torrone began on Oc- tober 25, 1441 in Cremona, when Bianca Maria Visconti and Fran- cesco Sforza, whom eventually became the Duke and Duchess of Milan, were married. The atten- ding pastry chefs made a sweet to resemble the tower belonging to the town, named "Torrazzo." And the rest is history, as they say. Torrone comes in very hard or soft versions. Some contain just nuts while others have candied fruit or chocolate. Typically, you will find torrone cut into long sticks, but nowadays it also com- monly comes in packages of indi- vidually wrapped pieces. A great gift for the holidays, the equiva- lent of giving a box of chocolates in North America. Did you know that Cremona holds a Festival of Torrone an- nually in November? Tens of thousands of visitors attend and can sample several varieties of tor- rone, enjoy a parade with historic characters and watch the wedding of Bianca and Francesco reenac- ted. Other areas of Italy known for their torrone versions include, Benevento, Sicily, Sardinia and Calabria. Which version does your fa- mily like best? Making your own torrone is not difficult but does take some elbow grease - com- pletely worth it though! This is one of many traditional Italian re- cipes from our book, Nonna's Way, A Collection of Classic Ita- lian Cookie Recipes. Ingredients: • edible wafer paper • 3 extra large egg whites • 500 g fruit sugar • 500 g white honey • 2 packages vanilla powder • 6 cups (1500 mL, 900 g) • whole almonds (roasted, skins on) • 3 ⅓ cups (830 mL, 500 g) • whole hazelnuts (roasted, skins off) • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) almond or h a z e l n u t f l a v o u r e d l i q u e u r (optional) Instructions: 1. Line a 9-inch by 15-inch pan, at least 1-inch deep, with par- chment paper so that it is a tight fit on the bottom and sides, with a slight overhang on all sides. On top of the parchment paper, place edible wafer paper to fit the exact dimensions of the pan. Overlap edges slightly if using more than one piece. 2. In a large bowl with an elec- tric mixer, beat the egg whites for about 10 minutes until very stiff peaks form. Add ⅓ of the sugar at a time and continue to beat between additions until sugar is dissolved. Beat for at least 2 mi- nutes. Add the honey and vanilla powder. Combine first with a wooden spoon and then beat with an electric mixer until well mixed. At this point the mixture should be very shiny. 3. Transfer to a large heavy- bottom pot. Start cooking over medium heat and once it starts to bubble reduce to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to stir, as a spatula will not be strong enough. After 30 minutes the mixture is very smooth and glossy and becomes fragrant. 4. Add the almonds and ha- zelnuts and cook while stirring continuously for another 45-60 minutes. The mixture should come away from the sides of the pan to form one big ball and will turn ivory in colour. You will no- tice the mixture moves as one. It should be tacky and sticky like toffee. If using liqueur, add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking. 5. Working quickly, and using lightly buttered large stainless steel spoons, spread the mixture onto the wafer paper lined pan. Smooth and even out the surface then cover with a layer of wafer paper. Place a piece of parch- ment paper on top and use a rol- ling pin to smooth out the sur- face. Place a clean tea towel over the parchment paper and place a similar size pan on top with a heavy weight on it that is evenly distributed such as a case of water or a bag of flour. Let cool like this for about an hour. Remove the weight, tea towel, and parchment paper and with a large sharp knife cut into equal strips. 6. You can use amber honey, but the torrone will be darker in colour. Once prepared and cut into strips, torrone can be sto- red in the freezer for quite a long period. Wrap it in parchment pa- per, then foil wrap and place in food safe freezer bags. Torrone, the classic Italian holiday treat Torrone, or nougat, is a confection typically made with egg whites, honey and nuts ANNA ROMANO & ANGELA DESALVO

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