S

PQR

SPQR
Modern Italian Food and Wine

Shelle y Lindgren and Mat thew Accarrino with K ate Leahy

Photography by Sara Remington

Ten Speed Press

Berkeley

contents
Introduction
Ancient Information Highways 1
La Strada del Vino 2
La Strada della Cucina 5

Roman Roads
Via AppiaLazio 11
Via SalariaLe Marche 45
Via FlaminiaUmbria 69
Via PostumiaVeneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia 105
Via Claudia AugustaTrentinoAlto Adige 139
Via AemiliaEmilia-Romagna and Lombardia 161
Via FrancigenaPiemonte and Valle dAosta 197
Via AureliaLiguria and Toscana 235

Resources
Kitchen Road Map: Fundamental Techniques 271
Basic Recipes, and Ingredients 275

Acknowledgments 285
Index 287

Recipes
Via AppiaLazio 11
Spiced Ricotta Fritters with Smoked Maple Syrup 17
Fried Rabbit Livers with Pickled Vegetables and Spicy
Mayonnaise 19
Crispy Pig Ears with Pickled Green Tomatoes, Jalapeo,
and Radish 20
Spring Vegetable Vignarola Salad 22
Bucatini with Nettles, Pancetta, and Black Pepper 24
Whole Wheat Fettuccine with Funghi Trifolati and
Spring Garlic 26
Braised Oxtail in Cabbage Leaves with
Cranberry Beans 29
Goat Cheese and Ricotta Crespelle with Orange-Caramel
Sauce 31
Spring Lamb 33

Lamb Rag with Semolina Gnocchi

and Pecorino Pepato 34
Lamb Belly 35
Lamb Loin and Rack with Gaeta Olive Sauce 36
Leg of Lamb Wrapped in Lamb Mousse
and Swiss Chard 36
Steamed Artichokes 41

Via FlaminiaUmbria 69
Smoked Trout with Warm Potato Salad
and Horseradish Gelatina 75
Chopped Chicken Livers with Wine Gelatina,
Carrot Marmellata, and Grilled Bread 78
Fava Bean Agnolotti with Mashed Black Truffle 80
Tagliatelle dOro with Chicken Livers, Mushrooms,
and Black Truffle 84
Linguine al Cocoa with Venison Rag 85
Farro-Stuffed Quail with Chestnuts, Persimmons, and
Dandelion Greens 86
Pistachio Torta with Meyer Lemon Curd, Pistachio
Crema, and Brown Butter 89
Suckling Pig 91

Crocchette with Pickled Green Rhubarb

and Apricots 95
Legs and Belly with Thyme, Lemon,
and Fennel Pollen 96
Chops with Prosciutto Sauce 97
Blcs with Suckling Pig Rag and Rapini 98
Pickled Rhubarb and Dried Apricots 101
Prosciutto Sauce 101

Pickled Swiss Chard Stems 41

Via PostumiaVeneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia 105

Via SalariaLe Marche 45

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Tomato Passatina 120

Fluke Crudo, Sausage-Stuffed Olives, and Citrus 52

Sardines in Saor with Peperonata Jam 122

Fried Surf Clams with Agrodolce and Onion, Fennel,

and Cherry Pepper Salad 54

Asparagus with Lardo-Wrapped Rye Dumplings, Goat

Cheese, and Sprouting Greens 124

Baked Anchovies 55

Squid Ink Linguine with Braised Squid, Sea Urchin,

Broccoli Crema, and Pan Grattato 127

Passatelli en Brodo 56
Lasagna Vincisgrassi 58

Farro Pasta with Speck, Green Onions,

and Poppy Seeds 130

Rabbit a la Villa Bucci 63

Duck Ravioli with Sour Cherries and Candied Pecans 132

Dried Fruit and Nut Biscotti with Sweet Wine Granita 64

Chocolate Torta with Vanilla Mascarpone 134

Via Claudia AugustaTrentinoAlto Adige 139

Via FrancigenaPiemonte and Valle dAosta 197

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Meyer Lemon Yogurt

and Fish Roe 146

Egg in the Hole with Mushrooms and

Miners Lettuce 215

Mustard Spaetzle with Chanterelle Mushrooms

and Stridoli 148

Bone Marrow Sformato with Stuffed Baby

Artichokes 216

Rye Gnocchi with Savoy Cabbage, Potatoes, and

Crispy Speck 149

Fontina and Mushroom Tortelli with Black Truffle

Fonduta 218

Mushroom Risotto 150

Risotto with Crayfish and Sweetbreads 220

Beer-Braised Pork Cheeks with Escarole 152

Savoy Cabbage with Mushrooms, Lardo, and

Crispy Prosciutto 221

Venison Loin with Parsnips and Huckleberry

Vinaigrette 153
Ricotta Bavarese with Verjus-Poached Rhubarb, Orange
Confitura, and Powdered Olive Oil 156

Chestnut-Stuffed Veal Breast with Orzotto 225

Baked Polenta with Beef Cheek Rag, Eggs,
and Fontina 226
Barolo Beef with Carrots and New Potatoes 228

Via AemiliaEmilia-Romagna and Lombardia 161

Fritto Misto 170
Chestnut-Filled Pasta with Broccoli di Cicco, Guanciale,
and Burnt-Orange Sauce 172
Squash Cappellacci with Medjool Dates, Rosemary
Brown Butter, and Saba 176
Ricotta and Quail Egg Ravioli with Wild Greens
and Fontina 179
Veal and Mortadella Tortellini en Consomm 182
Bolognese with Egg Noodles 184
Erbazzone Torta with Braised Greens, Prosciutto Cotto,
and Eggs 187

Chocolate Souffls with Milk Chocolate Gelato 231

Via AureliaLiguria and Toscana 235

Baked Ricotta with Cherry Tomatoes, Saba, and
Pignoli Granola 253
Scallop Crudo with Sunchokes, Hibiscus Agrodolce,
Almonds, and Cherries 254
Albacore Tuna Confitura with Panzanella Salad
and Anchovies 256
Beet and Ricotta Pansotti with Walnuts and
Ricotta Salata 258
Tomato-Braised Abalone with Farinata 260

Pork Milanese, Pickled Cabbage Salad, Anchovy, and

Lemon Brown Butter 189

Smoked Linguine with Clams, Cherry Tomatoes, and

Basil Pesto 262

Buckwheat Polenta Taragna, Rabbit Stufato, Cherry

Tomato, and Mimolette 190

Ramp Spaghetti with Crab and Sea Urchin Butter 264

Fried Quince Pies with Truffle Honey and

Aged Balsamic 191

Saffron Trofie with Veal Rag 265

Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Coconut Spuma 269

Baked Anchovies
In nearly every region in Italy, anchovies find their way to
the table. Piemontese cooks may infuse salted anchovies in
butter for bagna cauda, while in Le Marche they serve them
roasted. Baking is one of the best ways to prepare this
small, immensely flavorful fish. If you are new to cleaning
whole fish, this is a forgiving place to start. (The technique
given here also works with sardines.) If you have a batch
of garlic confitura (page 279), pour off some of the oil and
use it instead of the olive oil called for in this recipe.

the anchovies crosswise into the casserole and sprinkle

with more breadcrumbs to barely cover. Nestle the lemon
rounds and bay leaves in among the fish. Drizzle with
additional oil and bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until the
breadcrumbs are golden brown and crisp and the fish is
cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

serves 4 to 6
680 grams 11/2 pounds whole fresh anchovies
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
2 lemons
about 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
10 bay leaves

Clean each fish under cold running water: run a small

spoon from the tail end toward the head to gently scrape
away the scales. Rinse well. Using kitchen shears, make a
cut behind the head and gills, stopping just short of cutting all the way through the belly. Let the head fall away
and gently pull the innards out. Rinse the anchovy well
and place on a bed of ice while you clean the remaining
fish. Using kitchen shears, gently cut through the belly
from the head toward the tail. With the shears, snip the
spine just before the tail (leave the tail intact). With your
fingers, open the anchovy up like a book. Gently pull out
the backbone and pinbones.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Oil a 9 by 13-inch casserole.
Slice one of the lemons crosswise into rounds. Cut the
other lemon into wedges for serving.
Spread the cleaned fish out on a baking sheet or platter
and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with
enough olive oil to coat, then sprinkle with about 1/4 cup
of the breadcrumbs or enough to coat them lightly. Tuck

via salariale marche 55

v i a postumi a
V eneto and
Fr i ul i -V ene z i a G i ul i a

via postumiaveneto and

friuli-venezia giulia
Veneto
It was early Saturday morning and already the Autogrill off the autostrada to Verona was jammed with travelers waiting for espresso. Yet when a short, graying man in a sweater vest ordered a glass of Prosecco, the
overworked barista didnt miss a beat, pouring out a tall glass before pivoting back to the endless stream of
cappuccino orders. A glass of Prosecco served before ten in the morning in the Veneto barely raises an eyebrow.
Verona is the hub of the Venetos prolific wine region. When the city hosts Vinitaly, the largest annual trade
show dedicated to Italian wine, it also becomes the acting capital of the Italian wine industry. Vinitaly started
in the 1960s, as a show for farming and cellar equipment. Now its a weeklong event in which winemakers and
distillers from every corner of Italy showcase their wares and mingle with importers, journalists, equipment
manufacturers, sommeliers, and salespeople. If theres any place where you can get a sense of the concerns and
aspirations within the entire Italian wine community, its here.
Verona is a forward-thinking city that embraces
innovation, a characteristic of the Veneto as a whole
and of the regions winemaking styles. Unlike areas that
relied on the quality in their native fruit to make good
wine, vintners in the Veneto have always had a knack
for manipulating local grapes to surpass expectations.
Prosecco, for instance, emerged as a way to leverage the
acidity in the Glera grape, while appassimento, the practice
of drying grapes before making voluptuous wines like
Amarone, raised the profile of a motley assortment of
red grapes. In between easygoing Prosecco and meditative Amarone, the Veneto has become adept at producing
wines with attractive price-value ratios, such as Soave and
Valpolicella.
But sometimes, grape manipulation and value
pricing go too far. With about 220 million gallons of
wine made annually, the Veneto is the most productive
region in Italy, a distinction that elicits grumbles from
its artisan winemakers. Some winemakers in the Veneto
have become serious about defining their wine, using the
regions significant clout to rack up several new DOCG

zones: these now number in the dozens. While some of

the newer appointments have been controversial, the
overall message seems to be a call for quality in a zone
where quality hasnt always come first.
Part of the reason for the regions high yields is its
terrain. With the exception of the prealpine slopes of
classic Prosecco growing areas in the Treviso province,
most of the Venetos growing regions are flat or gently
hilly. The Po River valley, which covers nearly half of the
region, provides a fertile blanket of soil for agriculture.
In the humid weather of the plains, grapes grow easily
in high pergola trellises that accommodate mechanical
harvesting. While the Venetos top Valpolicella and Soave
vineyards surrounding Verona and up-and-coming areas
like Colli Euganei near Padova are hilly, gallons of non
descript wines flow from the plains.
Wine has played an important role in the economy
of northeastern Italy since Roman times. The name
Valpolicella comes from vallis polis cellae, Latin for the
valley with many cellars. Grapes were dried before being
pressed into a sweet, concentrated wine capable of

105

withstanding shipping without spoiling. This ancient

sweet style was the precursor to Port-like Recioto, which
in turn led to Amarone. While wine production declined
in post-Roman times, it picked up in the late Middle
Ages, when making wine became an aristocratic and
ecclesiastic endeavor.
By its peak in the sixteenth century, the Venetian
Republic brought ample wealth to the region. Spices
flowed into Venice from the eastern Mediterranean and
wealthy families moved west toward Padua and set up
farming estates and hunting lodges. Venice itself was a big
market for local wines. During the Venetian Republic, vendors would set up stalls in the shadow of the Campanile,
earning the nickname ombra, meaning shadow or shade.
In Venice today, ombra also means glass of wine. The
wine consumed in Venice was made with local grapes
until Napoleon conquered the area in the late eighteenth
century, bringing Merlot and Cabernet vines with him.
Today producers in central and eastern Veneto make
convincing wines with Bordeaux varieties. But the biggest
story in the Veneto hinges on native grapesand their
manipulation, for better and for worse.
For white grapes, the most striking examples reside
with Prosecco and Soave. In the case of Prosecco, human
intervention has been a good thing. While frizzante field
wines had always been made in the Treviso province,
Proseccos modern incarnation started in the nineteenth
century when Antonio Carpen and his partners founded
the Carpen Malvolti firm with the aim to bring sparkling wine production to the region. Instead of using
the classic method employed in Champagne production,
in which wines carry out their secondary fermentation
in the bottle, Carpen made wine that passed through
its second fermentation in pressurized tanks before
being bottled under pressure. (The same method is used
to make Asti Spumante.) For Glera, the grape used in
Prosecco, tank fermentation captured its fleeting stonefruit aromatics and crisp acidity, allowing the grapes
best qualities to shine through. The Charmat method,
as the technique is now called, was embraced as the ideal
method for making wine with this grape.
Its been a good couple of decades for Prosecco
producers. Prosecco is effortlessly cool, and its appealing
price tag has turned it into an international star. Today

the area between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a dramatic series of slopes covered in vines, has changed from
a chain of farming communities into a wealthy enclave.
Within this area, Cartizze, with its moraine, sandstone,
and clay soils, is considered the top vineyard for Prosecco.
Sparkling wines made from Cartizze fruit carry a distinct mineral backbone with a delicate nose of peaches
and cream. But with one hectare valued at 2.5 million
euros in 2011one of the highest for vineyard land in
ItalyCartizzes prestige raises the question of just how
easygoing Prosecco can afford to stay.
The wines global success also has led to a host of
imitators. Because Prosecco was once the name of both
the grape and the wine, anyone using the grape could
call his sparkling wine Prosecco. Producers from Treviso,
including Conegliano, Valdobbiadene, and Asolo, another
classic area of Prosecco production, lobbied to restrict
the use of the label Prosecco to wines made in the classic
zones and succeeded. Now wines made with Glera grapes
grown outside classic Prosecco areas cannot be called
Prosecco.
In Soave, winemakers also have struggled to defend
the quality of their wine brand. When Garganega, the
main grape in Soave, is planted on the stony terraced
hillsides of Soave Classico near Verona, it turns ripe and
slightly savory with a nutty, lemony flavor. The same
grape, however, becomes lean and bland when planted
in the fertile plains, where the zones boundaries were
inexplicably extended. As volumes rose, quality became
diluted and the mix of grapes changed to include more
Trebbiano Toscano and less Garganega.
The best bet when buying Soave is to look for
names of makers that have focused on Garganega. In
1971, Leonildo Pieropan released Il Calvarino, the first
single-vineyard Soave, soon followed by a more steely
single-vineyard wine, La Rocca. Both wines remain top
performers in the region. Graziano Pr, a gentleman
farmer and local winemaking hero, produces complex,
well-structured Soaves as well, especially his Monte Grande
bottling. Aged in its lees in thirty-hectoliter casks, this
Soave Classico brings out the natural luster of Garganega
with accents of lemon peel, wax bean, and stone fruit.
The regions other white wines are a similar mix of
grapes found in Soave. Made in Vincenza, Gambellara

106 spqr

is Soaves lesser-known twin. On the southern shores of

Lake Garda on the border of Lombardia, Trebbiano di
Soave is the main grape of Lugana, a flinty, aromatic wine.
While more than 60 percent of the wine produced in
the Veneto is white, red wine production remains significant, nearing 70 million gallons in 2010. The main
red wines come from western Verona, a temperate region
insulated by Lake Garda and the Adige River and the cooling alpine breezes from the Lessinia Mountains. Rather
than being famous for certain grapes, however, the red
wines made around Verona are known for their style, from
bright, medium-bodied Bardolino, refreshing Chiaretto,
and black cherryhued Valpolicella to inmitable Amarone
and sweet, Port-like Recioto. Most of these wines are a
near-endless combination of local grapes.
Valpolicella, the Venetos most important red wine
area, is an extremely profitable place for vintners, mainly
because of one wine: Amarone. This wine enchants me
in the glass, offering intense fruit and acidity curbed by
the idea of sweetness; it also takes a romantic to make it.
While most vintners can stop worrying about grape quality after harvest, makers of Amarone (and Recioto, the
sweet passito wine made from the same blend of grapes,
and Amarones predecessor) monitor grape quality for
several more months while the bunches dry and the
grapes raisin. During this lengthy appassimento process,
which typically takes place in temperature- and humiditycontrolled drying rooms, bunches are monitored for
broken berries and mold growth. By the time the grapes
are crushed (anywhere between sixty to a hundred days
after harvest), they have lost nearly half of their weight.
Between harvest and the time the grapes are ready to
be crushed, winemakers walk a fine line between dried
grapes and those that are on the verge of spoiling.
The first Amarone likely emerged from a barrel of
Recioto that somehow fermented itself dry. Until fairly
recently, Recioto was more esteemed than Amarone. For
this reason, Amarone once was called Recioto Amaro, or
bitter Recioto. In the 1950s, the Bolla family began bottling this dry wine as Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone,
but the wine was not a commercial success until recently.
Until 1996, barely 1.5 million bottles of Amarone were
made each year. By 2005, production surpassed 5 million, and estimates for the future are more than double

those of 2005. The affect of the Amarone boom on the

Valpolicella growing region has been significant. In 1997,
8.2 million kilograms of Valpolicella-grown grapes were
used for appassimento wines. By 2007, the amount of
grapes had ballooned to 25.7 million kilograms.
The growth in Amarone production has popularized ripasso-style wines, which are made by filtering
Valpolicella wine through the pressed skins of Amarone
grapes, imparting the wine with the sugars and yeast
remaining from Amarone. At their best, ripasso wines are
stronger and weightier wines than Valpolicella made with
fresh grapes alone. On the label, they are distinguished
from other Valpolicella wines as Valpolicella Superiore
Ripasso. A favorite of mine is Tommaso Bussolas Ca del
Laito, a ripasso wine imbued with dark cherry fruit balanced by acidity.
Like Prosecco and Soave, Amarones international
popularity, coupled with a huge leap in output, has
vintners worried that the wine may become a victim of its
own success. Some winemakers fear that the light, cherry
style of regular Valpolicella could be eclipsed by ripasso
wines. Others are frustrated with the lack of definitive
style for Amarone: no one seems to know exactly what it
is supposed to taste like. But when you think about how
young the wine is compared to other classic Italian wines
such as Chianti or Barolo, its clear that its still figuring
out what it needs to be.
Like sipping Moscato dAsti after a day of tasting
Barolo, the intensity of Amarone requires relief with
a low-alcohol sparkler. My favorite selection is Fior
dArancio Spumante from La Montecchia, a winery
owned by Count Giordano Emo Capodilista. I have been
pouring this elegant, sweet, and uplifting wine made with
an aromatic variety of Moscato for years, and I especially
like serving it with goat cheese. The easygoing nature of
Fior dArancio is an extension of Giordano, who instantly
makes guests feel comfortable with his warm handshake
and occasional invitation to a round of karaoke. This
perspective is reflected in his wines. While Giordano feels
that special-occasion wines have their place, he prefers
making wines that can be enjoyed with less ceremony. If
were lucky, Giordanoand the Veneto as a wholewill
never lose the ability to delight us with a bright, breezy
sparkler or two. sl

via postumiaveneto and friuli-venezia giulia 107

Spaghetti with Shrimp

and Tomato Passatina
This is a pasta born from my experience of con niente, a
meal created from nothing more than the few ingredients
we managed to find around us. With this pasta, Ive striven
to recreate the simplicity of the meal we made at Robertos
casone on the lagoon. The shrimpgamberettiwere simply
cooked with tomato, then sent through a food mill, shells
and all. This rich, pink sauce became the condimento for
the store-bought spaghetti that Roberto had on hand.

serves 4 to 6

Place a food mill fitted with a coarse plate over a clean

pot. In batches, pass the shrimp and broth through the
food mill. You will have a coarse paste. (If its too dry to
go through the food mill, stir in more water). Taste the
shrimp paste and season with salt and pepper.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti
for 4 minutes if using fresh, and as directed on the package if using dry. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cup of
pasta water, and return the spaghetti to the pasta pot.
Stir spoonfuls of the shrimp paste into the spaghetti
until evenly coated, adding a few spoonfuls of water if the
pasta looks dry, and simmer for one more minute before
serving.

extra virgin olive oil

150 grams 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
12 grams 3 garlic cloves, minced
150 grams 1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
454 grams 1 pound shell-on raw baby shrimp
kosher salt and black pepper
a pinch of dried red pepper flakes
115 grams 1/2 cup white wine
240 grams 11/2 cups canned tomatoes
50 grams 4 breadsticks, like grissini, broken up
2 grams 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
340 grams 12 ounces fresh spaghetti (page 264) or dried

Heat a thin film of olive oil in a large, wide pot over

medium heat. Stir in the onion and sweat until softened,
3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sweat 1 to 2 minutes
more until aromatic. Add the carrot and sweat until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Turn up the heat to medium-high, stir in the shrimp,
and season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Pour in
the wine and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tomato and
return to a simmer. Pour in 1 cup of water, lower the
heat, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the shrimp
are soft enough to break up with a wooden spoon if
pressed. Stir the broken grissini pieces into the pot,
remove from the heat, and stir in the parsley.

120 spqr

Farro Pasta with

Speck, Green Onions,
and Poppy Seeds

Unwrap the dough and roll it out following the instructions for laminated pasta on page 273. Cut the pasta
into 10-inch sheets and dust with flour. Lay the sheets
on a work surface and, using a fluted pasta cutter or a
knife, cut them into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons, and place on a
lightly floured baking sheet until ready to cook.

The menu at Valter Scarbolos La Frasca, an always-busy

osteria in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, offers a quick
study of the regions cultural influences. Poppy seeds, an
ingredient used more often in Austria than in Italy, accent
plates of pasta while sauerkraut is as natural on the menu
as tagliatelle. Yet the ingredients are wholly local, down
to the wheel of Montasio cheese used in frico, the everpresent crisps of cheese served in Friuli, and the platters of
speck and prosciutto. In this Friuli-inspired dish, ridged
noodles made with ground farro are a hearty backdrop for
slices of speck and green onions in a buttery sauce.

serves 6

With the butter and 2 tablespoons of water, make burro

fuso according to the instructions on page 276; keep
warm. In a large saut pan with straight sides, bring the
wine to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce until almost
dry, then pour in the cream and reduce until the pan is
nearly dry again. Mix in the burro fuso and keep warm.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the
noodles for 5 to 6 minutes or until al dente. Drain pasta,
return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce. Sprinkle
with poppy seeds, green onions, and speck, and toss to
combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and grate
cheese over the top. Divide the pasta among 6 warm
plates and finish with more grated cheese over the top.

Pasta
300 grams 21/3 cups 00 flour
200 grams 13/4 cups farro flour or whole wheat flour
2 grams 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
200 grams 4 eggs
115 grams 1/2 cup butter
57 grams 1/4 cup white wine
115 grams 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 gram 11/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
40 grams 2 green onions, sliced thinly on an angle
83 grams 3 ounces (1/2 cup) thinly sliced speck
kosher salt and black pepper
a block of grana padano for grating

To make the pasta: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle

attachment, mix together the flours and salt on low speed.
Drizzle in the eggs and mix the dough for 2 to 3 minutes,
then turn it onto the counter and knead for several minutes by hand; it will feel dry and firm. Flatten the dough
into a rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and leave on the
counter for 30 minutes to soften and hydrate.

130 spqr

Passion Fruit Panna

Cotta with Coconut Spuma
It goes against the hyper-local ethos, but nearly every fine
dining restaurant Ive visited in Italy appears to be in love
with jet-fresh fruit. Da Vittorio, a three-star Michelin
restaurant in Lombardia, offers a tropical fruit plate laden
with mangosteens, rambutans, and dragon fruit for dessert. Composed of cream, sugar, and gelatin, panna cotta
is one of Italys most flexible desserts. I love the tropical
sweetness of passion fruit, which, lucky for me, does grow
in California, and find it refreshing at the end of a meal.
This dessert combines three of my favorite sweet flavors:
Caramel, passion fruit, and coconut. For a bit of crunch, I
serve the panna cottas with small coconut macaroons. The
coconut spuma, or foam, is aerated with a whipper or isi
gun, a canister often used for whipped cream. Its lightness
balances the richness of the panna cotta, but it is optional.

serves 6
Coconut Macaroons
200 grams 2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
200 grams 3/4 cup condensed milk
1 gram 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 grams 1 egg white, at room temperature
1 gram 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Panna Cotta
9 grams 3 sheets gelatin
175 grams 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
240 grams 1 cup whole milk
230 grams 1 cup heavy cream
250 grams 1 cup passion fruit pure

To make the macaroons: Preheat the oven to 325F. Line

a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking liners.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut, condensed milk, and
vanilla together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white
until it holds medium peaks when the whisk is lifted
from the bowl. Fold the egg white into the coconut mixture. Form 1 tablespoon balls of batter and place them
on a baking sheet. Flatten the balls to 1/8 -inch thick disks
and bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are light golden
brown.
To make the panna cotta: Soak the gelatin sheets in ice
water for about 2 minutes. In a small pot over medium
heat, bring the sugar and the milk to a simmer to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat. Squeeze
excess water from the gelatin sheets and dissolve it in the
milk. Once the gelatin has dissolved, stir in the cream.
Stir in the pure and salt, then strain through a fine-mesh
strainer to remove any remaining bits of gelatin. Pour
the panna cotta into six 1-cup glasses. Cover with plastic
wrap and refrigerate until set, about 4 to 6 hours.
To make the spuma: In a small pot over medium heat,
bring the cream and the sugar to a simmer to dissolve the
sugar. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin. Once
the gelatin has dissolved, pour in the coconut milk and
mix well. You will have just over 1 cup. Strain through a
fine-mesh strainer to remove any remaining bits of gelatin, then pour into the container of a whipper. Charge
the whipper with its nitrous-oxide charger, then shake
well. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
To serve: Unwrap each glass. Place the tip of the whipper
into each glass and top with the coconut spuma. Serve
with a few macaroons.

1 gram 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Coconut Spuma
70 grams scant 1/3 cup heavy cream
25 grams 1/8 cup sugar
1 to 2 grams 1/2 sheet gelatin
200 grams 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

via aurelialiguria and toscana 269

Copyright 2012 by 7 Hills Restaurant, LLC

Photographs copyright 2012 by
Sara Remington
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by
Ten Speed Press, an imprint of
the Crown Publishing Group,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press
colophon are registered trademarks of
Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-inPublication Data

Printed in China
ISBN: 978-1-60774-052-0

Lindgren, Shelley.
SPQR : modern Italian food and wine / by
Shelley Lindgren and Matthew Accarrino
with Kate Leahy.
p. cm.
1. Cooking, Italian. I. Accarrino, Matthew.
II. Leahy, Kate. III. Title.
TX723.L548 2012
641.5945dc23
2012014120

Cover and text design by Toni Tajima

Food styling for pages 18, 21, 53, 76, 79,
99, 126, 131, 173, 177, 180, 185, 252 by
Robyn Valarik
Prop styling by Ethel Brennan
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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