Rustico ~ a delicious recipe from my town.

Hello Hello!!!

I have been asked to write the recipe of this delicious treat. I have published it on my Recipe Blog... but it's in Italian {here is the LINK, if you are interested}. I'm translating here the recipe in English for all those who would like to try it without using google translate... because who knows what would come out!!! :))

If like me, you use the frozen puff-pastry it will be very simple. Here we go:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sheets of frozen PUFF-PASTRY

Bechamelle Sauce

• 2 cups of warm MILK
• half stick of BUTTER
• 3 tbsp of FLOUR
• SALT
• PEPPER

extra ingredients for the filling

• a can of PEELED TOMATOES
• 1 cup of FRESH MOZZARELLA
• 1 EGG

1. Thaw the puff-pastry.
2. Prepare the bechamelle sauce:melt the butter in a small pan on medium heat. When melted add the flour. Mix well, always stirring. Add the milk very slowly, always stirring, until it becomes a cream. Add salt and pepper. 
3. Every rustico is formed by 2 discs of puff-pastry (diameter of 5-6 inches), you can also make it square... any shape you like.
4. Put a dollop of bechamelle in the center of the first disc, add 3 chunks of mozzarella and one or two well squeezed can tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt.
5. Beat the egg to use it as a "glue" to attach the two puff-pastry discs together. Brush the edges of the first disc and close the rustico covering the filling with the second disc, pressing well the edges to form kind of a dome on top.
6. Brush the whole surface with the rest of the egg-wash.
7. Use the rest of the puff-pastry and ingredients to make 2 or 3 more rusticos.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Well, that's all!!! I hope you like it... and if you make it... please let me know!!!!! :)

 

xoxo,

Italian Traditions: Croccante Recipe

Today is August 26th!!! And for somebody like me who grew up in Lecce {in Apulia, South of Italy} this day only means "Town-Fair"! It's the day in which the Catholic Church celebrates St. Oronzo, which is the Patron, protector, of my town {each city in Italy has a different Saint who protects the town}. The Fair starts on the 24th and ends the 26th at night with beautiful fireworks. The city is decorated with lights of all kinds and shapes. When you walk at night through the old streets of the city.. it's just a fantastic experience! There is music playing from some of the hundreds of "bancarelle", the stands selling different items... food, books, jewels, clothes... anything! 

These gorgeous pictures were taken the other night by one of my friends from Lecce.. you can see the Roman Amphitheater and all the lights in the back {and St. Oronzo's statue on top of the column!}. 

And down here..some of the lights.

One of things I miss the most every year is the so called "cupeta" {in my dialect} or "croccante" {in Italian}. It's a delicious treat made entirely of sugar and almonds.

So, this morning I woke up thinking of it... and I decided to make it!! I want my children to taste its deliciousness and to learn about some of my traditions...

I have to say that I never made it before.. but it came out really good and crunchy.. as it should be {the word Croccante means CRUNCHY!}. Here it is!!

If you want to make it you just need:

• 2 cups of sugar 
• 1 splash of water 
• 4 oz. of peeled almonds (I used the slivered ones)

1. Toast the almonds. You can use the oven or you can sautee' them on a non-stick skillet, until golden.
2. Put the almonds on a piece of paper-wax inside a medium metal container (or a pyrex).
3. Melt the sugar with the water in a "thick-base" sauce-pan at a medium-low heat. It will take a few minutes. Just be patient. The sugar will crystallize and then melt in a brownish gluey sauce. 
4. Pour the caramel sauce on top of the almonds RIGHT AWAY covering them completely.
5. Let it cool down.
6. Finally, peel the paper off the croccante and cut in pieces. Enjoy!! and don't break your teeth!!!!! :))

Here's the recipe in pictures:

       

                         

Et Voila'!!

♥

P.S.

This post is linked to the beautiful blog Create.Craft.Love. 

Please go check out some other great blogs participating in this Party!

:)

Beatrix or Francesca?

♥Beatrix Potter is one of my favorite illustrators. I love the cuteness of the little animals she draws and the character she gives them through her stories. I also loved the movie about her life, Miss Potter.. what a sad life!! Not a very happy ending.. and despite all her sufferings she was able to create such great Works of Art. I'll always be her biggest fan!!

♥And I'm not the only one... my little sister Francesca, who lives in Italy with her American husband and 3 gorgeous children is an incredible artist and big fan of Miss Beatrix. She is an iconographer, but she also loves watercolor. She has her little Etsy shop, where she sells Thank-You Cards, Tags, Bookmarks and Birthday Cards.. almost all inspired by Beatrix Potter's little creatures. Please go check them out!!! You'll find also some of her husband's drawings and watercolors, but I'll speak more about him in another post. :)

♥You can see here her last creation, "the busy Miss Mouse Birthday Card"... just adorable!!

Birthday Card

Cute Animals Mini Thank-You Cards

♥You can also find Francesca here:

mogliediunamericanoaroma.blogspot.com

My hometown: Lecce, Italy.

What to do on a California gloomy and rainy afternoon? I just think of the beautifully Sunny Italy!! Well, it's actually very snowy right now! But I'm not there at the moment, so I cannot really picture the snow... everytime I go {which is ALAS very rare} it's summer time! My thoughts go back to my beautiful town: Lecce. It's located deep down in the heel of the "boot" (you know Italy is shaped like a boot, right?).

I used to take the longest walks, which is something normal to do, in the Old Town. Some of the streets are so narrow and contorted, but always cheery, thanks to all the Barocco decorations on all the old buildings and Churches.

In the main square, called Piazza Sant'Oronzo, it's where people usually meet late in the evening to start all the social nocturnal activities... especially walking through the town while talking, eating a gelato and saying hi to all the passers-by. :) St. Oronzo is the Patron Saint of the town, his statue is elevated high on top of an ancient roman pillar, he guards and protects the whole city from up there. 

What I miss the most is the morning breakfast: a cup of Cappuccino with a cornetto (a type of croissant filled with delicious pastry cream, or chocolate cream), typical from Lecce. mmmmm... so good!!!! Here's a picture from one of the most famous cafes:

And last but absolutely NOT least........ the Sea!!!! Mare. There is no words to describe it.. just look at the pictures. I REALLY miss my Sea, especially my beach. :) 

Enjoy!!