Tagliatelle con i carciofi
(Tagliatelle with artichokes)

For the noodles I use packaged Egg Noodles.

For the Sauce:
8 small artichokes ( or 2 16 oz cans of quartered artichoke hearts)
8 tbsp extra - virgin olive oil
2 large leek
a little bunch of flat leaf parsley finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
salt
grated Parmesan cheese

(If working with fresh artichokes) Add lemon juice to a bowl of cold water. Working with an articholke at a time, pull off the outer leaves until you reach the pale, tender inner leaves. Using a knife cut off the tough green tops of the leaves until only the tender edible portion remains. Trim the stem to 2.5cm or 1 inch and pare away the tough outer layer. Cut each artichoke heart into 6-8 wedges and place in the bowl of lemon water until ready to use. (If you are using the canned quartered hearts just cut them in half)

Finely chop the leek and cook in a saucepan with the oil till tender: about 30 minutes over low heat(2-3), with the lid on and adding warm water if necessary. Then add the garlic and continue cooking until leek is golden brown. Add the artichokes stir well and keep cooking till the artichokes are tender too (about another 15 minutes).

While the artichokes are cooking boil the pasta about 6-8 minutes, drain and then add it to the pan with the leek and artichoke mixture. add the parmesan cheese (I recommend about a 1/2 cup). Stir and turn off the heat.

This is one of the many recipes we learned to make while staying at the Villa Il Paridisino from Constanza. There we made fresh Tagliatelle and used only fresh ingredients, its a lot more work but if your serving company take the time.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Fondente al cioccolato

(Costanza's Chocolate Cake)

Preparation and Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients : 10 servings

• 5 eggs (separated)
  
• 125g (4 oz) powdered sugar and some for decorations
• 125g (4 oz) butter at room temperature
• 170g (6 oz) milk
• 1 tablespoonful of cake flour or potato flour or corn starch
• 250g (8oz) bittersweet chocolate
• raspberries or strawberry's and whipped cream to decorate

1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees (180c)
2. Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl setting over boiling water. Stir occasionally until it is completely melted
3. Using an electric mixer, beat up the egg yolks with the sugar until completely mixed, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the flour (corn starch) and beat for a minute more
5. In another bowl use the electric mixer to whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm
6. When the chocolate is melted, add the butter which has been cut into pieces and remove from the heat immediately when they are mixed after about 2 minutes.
7. Pour in the cold milk, a little bit at a time and stir well.
8. Now add this mixture to the egg yolk mixture and combine them together.
9. Fold in the egg whites very gently, but be sure it is completely mixed.
   
10. Butter and dust a 10 inch (25cm) cake tin with flour.
11. Pour in the mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F (180C).
12. When the cake is cold, dust with icing sugar and if you like decorate with fresh raspberries.

Crostini di fegatini (Chicken liver crostini)

These recipes are compliments of Costanza Belloni-Filippe of Villa Il Paradisino, Florence, Italy

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hr

Ingredients for 6 servings

300gm (.75lbs) chicken/duck or rabbit livers

2 big red onions

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp capers in vinegar

2 cloves garlic

2 anchovy fillets

3 sage leaves

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup Marsala wine or cognac

500gm (1 lb) of country bread (cut about 1 cm 1/2 inch thick)

salt

Clean and cut the onion into rings. Clean, wash and chop the livers. In a sauce pan saute the livers and the onions with the olive oil, the bay leaves and the sage, until they are very brown. They need to start sticking (about 15 minutes). Add the garlic and the wine and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring continuously; they should cook without adding wate4r so reduce the heat if they dry out too much.

Remove from the heat and put the livers into an electric mixer, together with capers, anchovies, and chop until very fine. At the end, if you like more liquid add 2 tbsp more of olive oil, or a little bit of marsala, or a tbsp of milted butter in a little bit of water.

Slice the bread and spread some of the mixture on each slice.

Torta salata ai porri (leeks savoury flan)

These recipes are compliments of Costanza Belloni-Filippe of Villa Il Paradisino, Florence, Italy

Preparation time : 1hr

Dough
½ cup flour
¼ cup water
2 tbsp oil.
Salt
Ingredients
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 leeks
50 ml milk
1 egg
¼ cup parmesan
1 cup stracchino cheese like cream cheese
4 oz of emmental or mozzarella cheese
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper

The filling
Finely chop the leeks into rings and fry gently in olive oil, add salt, pepper and grated nutmeg and then cover the pan and cook till soft, adding little by little milk and then water. (about 45 minutes)

In the mean time make the dough

On the table put the flour and pour in the middle oil, water, and salt and work with your hands to form a ball. Set aside in the fridge to cool.

When the leeks are ready, leave to cool and then add ½ of the parmesan and 1 egg.

Then divide the dough in two parts and roll out very thin almost transparent on of the circles of dough. Put into a buttered flan pan. Pour in the leeks mixture, then the cheeses in pieces and sprinkle on top with parmesan.

Cover the top with the other half of the dough rolled very thin. Make sure there are some holes and sprinkle with olive oil on the top.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 centigrade (375F).