Posts

Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina

/in /by

Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina

Gnocchi alla sorrentina translates directly to mean “gnocchi to Sorrento”. This recipe originates from Sorrento, a lovely town located in the south of Naples. The gnocchi alla sorrentina is representative of the Mediterranean diet, and contains ingredients such as Basil, Mozzarella and tomato sauce.

The dish, gnocchi, may sound relatively unfamiliar to some of us, particularly for those residing in Asia or who seldom consume European dishes. Gnocchi refers to soft, thick dumplings made from semolina, wheat flour, eggs, cheese, potato, bread crumbs, or other types of ingredients.

The gnocchi are served warm or hot, and are eaten as the first course in a meal. Similar to most Italian dishes, the recipes, names and ingredients used to cook the gnocchi varies, depending on the region that the dish is prepared in.

Can’t wait to tuck into the gnocchi alla sorrentina? Our BonAppetour hosts, Angelo and Simona can whip up a tantalising serving of this dish! 

Also, find out more about our hosts in Italy here!

Images credits: manusmenu.com, yeunglei.com, 3.bp.blogspot.com

[icegram campaigns=”612″]

How to Choose Your Wine

/in /by

How to Choose Your Wine

You’ve prepared the perfect meal and you are quite proud of yourself. It only remains to choose the wine, and the dinner can start. But wait…how do you choose?

The Art (and Science) of Wine Pairing

Wine pairing is something of a science and an art in itself. Following a few simple rules will give you an head start, and help you in selecting wines that will make for an awesome dinner.

Let’s start with the wrong way – the old saying that white wine goes with white meat, and red wine with red meat. Although it can be taken as a rough rule, there is a better way to pair wines with meals. The right wine, in fact, depends on the 'weight' and texture of the meal. What this boils down to is that heavier meals require bolder wines, while lighter meals do well with lighter wines.

Pair ‘em Up!

For example, you can choose a bold Piedmont or Cabernet Sauvignon for a heavy red meat. A lighter chicken or lobster meal, on the other hand, would match best with a Pinot Noir or Burgundy wine.

Here is an additional tip for spicy food lovers – your best wine is a slightly sweeter one, which enriches the flavor of the spices and will delight your taste buds.

To finish this post up, if you have not bought your wine yet, here’s how you can go about choosing one:

Original Source: How to Choose Wine

Go tipsy with our BonAppetour hosts, Ryan, Tiziano and Fabio!

Image credits: enjoydiscoveringwine.com, hugofox.com, s.yimg.com

[icegram campaigns=”612″]

Food Bites: Torta Caprese

/in /by

Food Bites: Torta Caprese

Lovers of all things chocolate, look no further – the torta caprese is a rich and intense dessert that promises to tantalise and delight your tastebuds!

Discovering the Torta Caprese

Originating from the island of Capri, located near Naples, the torta caprese is a cake made with eggs, butter, chocolate and ground almonds. This simple selection of ingredients yields a dense cake that is rich and chocolatey.

The absence of flour makes this cake suitable for those who are gluten-intolerant, and the ground almonds help to add density and richness to the texture and flavour of the cake.

One Dessert, Many Ways of Serving It!

You’ve baked a luscious round of torta caprese for your guests at your dinner party. The next question is – how do you serve it to them?

If you prefer to stick to traditions, serve the torta caprese with nothing more than a dusting of powdered sugar. This is similar to the manner in which many desserts originating from the Campania regions are served.

Otherwise, for an indulgent treat, dish a slice of torta caprese with a scoop of aromatic vanilla gelato, or top if off with a velvety layer of ganache.

Savour the torta caprese with Simona, our lovely BonAppetour host in Italy! If you’re itching to bake your own tasty treats, be sure to check these BonAppetour recipes out – mmmm…

Image credits: foodrepublic.com, goodmorningtrieste.it, 3.bp.blogspot.com

[icegram campaigns=”612″]

Food Bites: Tiramisu

/in /by

Food Bites: Tiramisu

Exploring History: When and where was the tiramisu first created?

Unlike most traditional Italian dishes with a history dating back many centuries ago, the tiramisu seems to be a relatively recent creation. Food historians have indicated that the creation of the tiramisu may have occurred during the late 1970’s or early 1980’s in northern Italy, as the earliest recipes of this dessert were found in some Italian food magazines of that time.

Other sources have mentioned that the tiramisu was possibly created way before the 1970’s, in a period as far back as the seventeenth century. It was believed that the tiramisu originated from the Italian regions of Veneto or Tuscany.

Disputing these Claims

However, such claims seem unlikely, judging by the types of ingredients used in preparing the tiramisu. It would have been a feat to create the tiramisu in Tuscany, as ingredients such as the mascarpone cheese and Savoiardi biscuits were not available in the region at that time.

In addition, coffee was used exclusively in the preparation of beverages in the past, and was not regarded as an ingredient for cooking or baking. Therefore, it would have been highly impossible to prepare the tiramisu in those times.

Variations: Deviating from the traditional recipe

The traditional tiramisu recipes call for the use of Savoiardi biscuits, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder.

These days, a wide array of variations to this traditional recipe can be easily found. There is the chocolate tiramisu, whereby dense and dark chocolate replaces the use of coffee. A tart and light alternative would be the fruit tiramisu, containing a selection of zesty fruits, such as berries, apricots and peaches.

We have also been told of the ch’tiramisu, a French twist to the Italian dessert.

What is the difference between the tiramisu and ch’tiramisu, you may ask.

Well, there are no major changes in the recipe. The main difference is that the French version replaces the Savoiardi biscuit with Speculoos, a biscuit that is found only in France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

Can’t resist the siren call of this tempting dessert? Our BonAppetour hosts, Susanna and Simona, can satisfy your tiramisu craving! 

Psst..do also take a look at our BonAppetour hosts in Italy (e.g. Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice, …)

Image credits: fabioviviani.com, i243.photobucket.com, chocolatechillimango.com

[icegram campaigns=”612″]