Pasta al tonno e capperi - from Rafaella _ (Bari)
| 400 grams pasta |
1 can tuna |
| 1 lb. mushrooms |
1 clove garlic |
| salt and pepper |
butter |
| parmesan |
sage |
| capers |
|
Wash and slice mushrooms. Peel and mince garlic, or use chopped, bottled garlic. Start boiling water for the pasta.
Cook the garlic in olive oil, being careful not to burn it. Add sliced mushrooms, salt and pepper, and cook for 10-15 minutes, mixing frequently. Add a pinch of sage and some capers (half of a small jar works well). Throw in a can of tuna and cook for about five more minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta -- preferably penne or rigatoni. You should know better than to overcook it! Drain the pasta and stir in the tuna-mushroom concoction with a bit of butter and some grated parmesan. Feeds four.
Panelle - from Sor. Tarantino (Palermo)
| 200 grams chickpea flour |
1/2 liter cold, salted water |
| chopped parsley |
oil |
Dissolve the flour in the salted water. Put the pan on low heat and mix continuously until the mixture becomes rather solid and homogeneous. Add chopped parsley and remove the pan from the heat. Roll the mixture flat (to about half an inch). When it has cooled, cut into squares and fry in oil. Yum yum!
Pandoro - from Giaconda Sacca (Reggio Calabria)
| 3/4 cup potato flakes |
1 teaspoon baking powder |
| 3/4 cup flour |
juice of 1/2 lemon |
| 3/4 cup sugar |
4 eggs |
| 3/4 cup butter, softened |
|
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees Celsius). Mix together the potato flakes, flour, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and butter, beating until smooth. Add the baking powder and blend well with other ingredients.
Generously grease and flour a cake pan, preferably a mold the shape of a star with high sides (a bundt pan may work). Pour the mixture into the mold, place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes (30 minutes in a bundt pan). Turn off the oven and leave the pandoro inside for another 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, leaving it to cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
