Sept. 2000

Zuppa di Ceci con Quadrucci (Chickpea soup with pasta)

For 4 servings:

200 grs of meal, 1 egg, salt, 300 grs. of chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, 250 grs. of fresh ripe tomatoes,1 liter of meat broth, 1 rosemary twig, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Knead the flour with some salt and the egg, lay a thin pastry and cut it in small squares. Soften the chickpeas in water for 12 hours, then cook them in plenty of salt water, flavouring with garlic and rosemary.
Let them boil for 90 minutes, drain and take away garlic and rosemary.
In another pan, fry slowly the diced tomatoes with oil, at half cooking add the chickpeas, salt, pepper and the warm meat broth.
Complete the cooking, add the pasta squares and cook for 5-6 minutes. Serve the soup adding atrickle of olive oil.

The wine indication is for a medium body young red regional wine like a Sangiovese or a Rosso del Conero or a Montepulciano delle Marche.

Coniglio con Olive nere e Basilico (Rabbit with black olives and basil)

For 4 servings:

Two rabbit saddles of 800 grs. each, half cup of dry white wine, 40 small black olives stoned, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of chopped basil, 4 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 garlic clove, salt and pepper.

Put the rabbit saddles in a pan with half of the olive oil and the crushed garlic clove, then put in oven at medium temperature for 20 minutes adding salt and “wetting” with the cooking percolate. At the end of the cooking, take the rabbit saddles out of the pan and keep them warm, removing the grease and wetting with white wine. Add the black olives and the tomatoes previously peeled and cut in stripes.Concentrate to half volume, add basil, salt, pepper and the remaining olive oil. Bone the saddles, cut in slices, put in warm plates coating with the sauce and olives.

The wine suggestion is for a full bodied tannic red from Tuscany like a Chianti Classico or a Montepulciano or a Tignanello.

Torta di Zucca e semi di Sambuco (Pumpkin cake and elder seeds)

For 8 servings:

1.5 Kgs of pumpkin, 200 grs. of sugar, 0.1 liter of cream, 1 liter of milk, 4 eggs, 2 tablespoons of white flour, 4 crushed macaroons, a handful of elder seeds (as alternative anise seeds)

Cook in oven at mild temperature the pumpkin cut into pieces, in order to dry it. In the meantime, mix all other ingredients. When the pumpkin is cooked, sieve and add it to the other ingredients, stirring well. Butter a baking-tin, pour the compound and cook in oven already hot at 180-200°C for 1 hour. Cool it before serving.

The wine recommendation is for a strong sweet dessert wine like a Moscato del Parteolla or a Malvasia delle Lipari or a Passito di Pantelleria.