Feast For Christmas, Pt. 2

Roasted Pears and Grapes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
2 cups seedless red grapes
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup moscato
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 tablespoons apricot jam
3 firm but ripe Bosc pears

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the grapes in an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Combine the sugar, lemon juice, moscato, vanilla beans and apricot jam in a bowl and stir until blended. Pour over the grapes. Cut the pears in half through the core and remove the cores and seeds. Nestle the pear halves, cut side up, into the grapes.

Bake until the pears are tender and the liquid around the grapes is thick and syrupy, about 50 minutes. Remove the pears and let stand for about 10 minutes. Serve them with some vanilla ice cream.

Struffoli
Makes 10 servings

Italian-American cooking is a story of adaptation and evolution. But here is one dish that made it intact from the Old Country to the new.

Ingredients for the Dough:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
grated zest of half a lemon
grated zest of half an orange
pinch salt
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grappa or
3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients for the Honey Syrup:

2 cups honey
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup small colored sprinkles

Stir the flour, sugar, lemon and orange zest and salt together in a bowl and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, butter and grappa to it. With your fingertips, work the eggs, butter and grappa together until more or less blended, then begin working in the dry ingredients.

Continue working the dough until it is smooth and evenly blended. Gather the dough together into a ball, wipe the dough from your hands and add it to the dough ball. Clean your hands and the work surface, flour both lightly and knead the dough until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Pull off a plum size piece of the dough and roll it out with your palms and fingers to a rope about 1/3 inch in diameter. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cut the dough ropes crosswise into 1/3-inch lengths. Roll the pieces of dough between your hands into balls.

Pour the oil into a wide, deep skillet or braising pan and heat over medium heat until a deep frying thermometer registers 350degrees F or a dough ball gives off a lively sizzle when slipped into the oil. Carefully slide about one-fourth of the dough balls into the oil and fry, turning and immersing them with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer them with the skimmer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, first allowing any excess oil to drip back into the pan.

Repeat with the remaining dough balls, allowing the oil to return to the correct temperature before frying the next batch. Have a bowl of cold water and a serving plate large enough to hold the finished struffoli (about 12 inches in diameter) close by. Stir the honey, sugar and water together in a heavy wide pot large enough to hold all the dough balls over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and bring the syrup to a boil.

The syrup will foam up dramatically when it comes to a boil. Continue cooking until the foam dies down and the mixture becomes just a shade darker, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately add all the fried dough balls. Toss them in the syrup with a wire skimmer until they are coated. Remove the dough balls from the syrup with the skimmer, allowing excess syrup to drip back into the pan first, and mound them on the serving plate like a pyramid, helping yourself with your hands from time to time, after dipping them into the cold water to protect them.

Scatter the sprinkles over the mound of struffoli until it is colorful. You may serve them the same day, however it also keeps well for several days covered loosely with plastic wrap.

Chocolate sponge cake with sour cherry and chocolate zabaglione mousse filling
Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients for the Chocolate Sponge Cake:

unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for the cake pan
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar

Ingredients for the Cherry Syrup:
1/2 cup sweet Marsala
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 cup Amerene cherries, with their liquid (see Note)

Ingredients for the filling:

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
7 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 pound very good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Make the sponge cake: Place the rack in the center position of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch round by 3-inch high cake pan. Sprinkle the sides and bottom with flour, making sure to coat the entire surface, and tap out the excess. To make the cake easier to remove, cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the pan, insert it into the bottom of the prepared cake pan and butter and flour that too.

Sift together 2 cups flour, ½ cup cocoa, the baking powder and baking soda. In a medium-size bowl set over a large saucepan of simmering water, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture has warmed and most of the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg-sugar mixture at high speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat.

With a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, scraping the egg mixture from the bottom of the bowl over the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a wooden skewer or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake's surface springs back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. Let stand on a wire rack until completely cool 1 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the syrup: In a small saucepan, stir the Marsala and confectioners' sugar over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the Amarene cherries and their liquid and set aside.

Make the filling: In a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring often to melt the chocolate evenly. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the bowl of chocolate over the water to keep it warm.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl. Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes.

In the top of a double boiler or a medium-size, heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the superfine sugar and the Marsala until smooth. Place over barely simmering water and continue beating (switching to an electric handheld mixer, if you like) until the mixture is pale yellow, fluffy and falls in thick ribbons when the whisk or beaters are lifted, about 8 minutes if you are whisking by hand or about 4 minutes if you are using an electric mixer. It is important to whisk continuously or the egg yolk will cook and the mixture will appear curdled.

Scrape the softened gelatin into the egg mixture and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. With a rubber spatula, fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Let the mixture stand until cool, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks when the beaters are removed. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate-egg mixture until no traces of white is visible.

To assemble the cake: With a long, thin serrated knife, slice the chocolate sponge cake horizontally into two even layers. Set the bottom layer into a 10-inch springform pan and brush it with about 1/2 of the cherry syrup -- it will be quite moist. Scatter the cherries over the cake layer. Spoon the chocolate zabaglione filling over the cherries. Moisten the cut side of the top cake layer with the remaining syrup and place it, cut side down over the filling. Press very gently. Cover the pan securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is firm, at least 6 hours or up to one day.

To serve, release the side of the springform pan and remove it. Sift the 3 tablespoons of cocoa over the cake. Cut the cake into wedges with a thin, serrated knife and serve with Chocolate Zabaglione Sauce, if you like.

Chef's Note: Amarene are wild cherries preserved in syrup. Fabbri is a very good brand.

Zabaglione
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup dry Marsala
1/4 cup sugar

In a medium-size, copper or other heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, Marsala and sugar until smooth. Place over, not in, barely simmering water and continue beating (switching to an electric handheld mixer, if you like) until the mixture is pale yellow, frothy and falls in thick ribbons when the whisk or beaters are lifted, about 8 minutes if you are whisking by hand or about 4 minutes if you are using an electric mixer.

It is important to whisk continuously or the egg yolks will cook and the mixture will appear curdled. Remove the sauce from over the heat and serve immediately, either spooned into individual coupes or over fresh fruit or berries.

Cappelletti or Tortellini in Brodo
Serves 4 to 6

1 whole capon (about 4 pounds) and or capon wings, backs
1 large onion (about 1/2 pound), cut in half
3 cups carrots, peeled and slice 1-inch thick
3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into four pieces
6 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
6 whole black peppercorns
salt

Wash the capon thoroughly under cold running water and drain well. Combine with the water in a large (at least 10-quart) stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the level of heat to medium and continue boiling for 1 hour. Skim off the surface foam and fat occasionally.

Meanwhile, place the onion cut sides down directly over an open flame and cook until the cut surface is well browned, about 3 minutes. Move the onion halves with a pair of tongs as necessary to brown the onion evenly. (Alternatively, the onion may be browned cut side down in a heavy skillet over medium heat.)

Add the remaining ingredients except the salt to the pot. Bring to a boil again, skimming occasionally. Lower the heat until the liquid is "perking" - one or two large bubbles rise to the surface at a time. Cook, partially covered, 3 hours. Add salt to taste.

Strain the broth through a colander lined with a dampened kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Reserve the capon. If you want to use the stock immediately, you can remove much of the liquid fat floating on the surface by lightly dragging a folded paper towel over the surface. It will be easier to degrease the stock if you have time to chill it completely in the refrigerator. The fat will then rise to the surface and solidify and can be easily lifted off.

When capon is cool, remove breast meat and shred it so it's void of skin and fat.

Cappelletti
Serves 6

Ingredients for Dough:

2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup warm water (as needed)

On a marble or wooden surface, make a mound of flour and form a well at the center. Place beaten eggs, salt and olive oil in the well and mix with a fork to incorporate thoroughly. Add the water slowly, in a thin stream, as needed, to produce a manageable dough. Sprinkle your hands liberally with flour, rubbing them together to remove any scraps of dough from your skin. With a knife, loosen any dough attached to the work surface and knead the mass for 20 minutes (or use a processor with a dough hook) until it is smooth and satiny. Allow the dough to rest 1 hour in a covered bowl, before rolling it out.

Ingredients for Stuffing:

1 1/2 ounces Prosciutto di Parma, cut fine and chopped
2 ounces veal pulp
2 ounces pork butts
2 ounces beef pulp
5 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup good stock
1 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup Grana Padano cheese
grating of nutmeg

Pass the meat through a meat grinder until it is fine. Then place it in a buttered braising pan, season with salt and pepper, and brown it, continuously mixing with a wooden spoon. Make sure the meat is well cooked, almost dry. Pour in the stock and let simmer for a few minutes.

Set breadcrumbs in a separate bowl, add the meat and mix well. If the mix is dry, add an additional amount of warm broth. Mix in the Grana Padano cheese, the Prosciutto di Parma, salt to taste and a little bit of grated nutmeg.

Roll sheets of pasta until thin and set one teaspoon of stuffing at 1 1/2 intervals. Cover with another sheet of dough and with a round 1 1/4-inch diameter cutter, cut out the cappelletti. Continue until finished. Set on dry napkin cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To finish the soup:

Ingredients:

3 quarts of capon stock
Cappelletti or Tortellini
2 cups of shredded capon meat
1/3 cup of grated Grana Padano
2 tablespoons of parsley

Bring capon stock to boil. Add cappelletti or tortellini and cook for 5 minutes until the pasta rise to the top. Add Grana Padano and parsley and serve.

Roasted Root Vegetables
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 medium leeks (about 10 ounces)
2 large parsnips (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths (see note)
3 large carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
2 large, outer celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
6 small red or white new potatoes (about 3/4 pounds), cut in half
3 small yellow onions (about 6 ounces pound), peeled and cut in half through the core
20 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim the dark green parts from leeks and cut the whites in half lengthwise. Trim the root ends of the leeks, leaving enough of the root core intact to hold the leek halves together. Rinse the leek halves under cold water, separating the layers to rinse out any grit from between them.

Place all the vegetables, the garlic, olive oil and rosemary in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss until the vegetables are coated with oil. Transfer the vegetables to a 13 x 9-inch roasting pan. Roast until they are tender and well browned, about 1 hour, removing the pan from the oven and stirring the vegetables gently several times during the roasting so they cook and brown evenly.

Chef Note: Parsnips can vary greatly in width from stem end to tapered end. If the tops of your parsnips are very wide, cut them in half lengthwise after cutting them into 3-inch lengths.