Panettone vs Kerststol

It's almost Christmas everyone!  I'm already getting excited... getting all cosy with my family, enjoying great food and good (bubbly) wines. Being married to an Italian, our Christmas is a mix of Dutch and Italian traditions. The first part of the holidays will be celebrated in Holland so the first little treat that comes my way will be a big slice of our famous kerststol. I love the Dutch Christmas loaf bread served for Christmas breakfast. After that we'll be moving on to Capri where we'll enjoy a real traditional (south) Italian Christmas and New Years Eve. A wonderful Christmas tradition having the best of both worlds... I've tried to introduce the kerststol in Capri (I once stuffed a big one in my suitcase) but a real Italian Christmas isn't complete without a big soft and fluffy panettone. Even though the birthplace of this traditional Christmas bread is Milano... Panettoni are quite hard to find in Holland, but I saw some at the Xenos (a Dutch store) yesterday. Obviously not even half as tasty (and fresh) as the ones in Italy, so breaking with Dutch tradition wouldn't make sense. Anyway, for those who are curious to have a taste of Italian tradition without betraying theirs and for our Italian friends that like to try something new with this sweet bread, here's a tasty and very Christmasy suggestion from a real Milanese. Buon Natale Emanuela! 

Hope you're all having a great one too!

Tiramisù di Panettone 


Ingredients for 4

4 slices panettone
250 grams mascarpone
50 grams powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pistachio's
80 grams dark chocolate
100 ml milk


Preparation 

Mix the mascarpone with the powdered sugar until creamy. Melt the chocolate au bain-marie, add the tepid milk and stir well. Divide every slice of Panettone in four even pieces and put one piece on every plate. Put one layer of the mascarpone mix on every piece and built the layers finishing with a layer of mascarpone. Sprinkle the chopped pistachio's on the mascarpone layers and cover with chocolate sauce. Serve immediately. 

Lazy sunday leftovers

My sweet friend Emanuela, a very talented food stylist from Milano, has shared some of her great leftover tips with me. Here's a good one from a true Italian kitchen diva... Grazie Manu, sei una super cuoca!

Risottini al Salto

Have a cup or so of risotto left over from last night's meal that you don't know what to do with?...Think twice before throwing it away and recycle!


Ingredients for 8 risottini

200 grams of leftover risotto

60 grams of grated cheese (parmesan)

butter

pepper, to taste

Preperation

Mix the risotto and the cheese together. Heat a small pan over medium heat and add a teaspoon of butter and let it melt. Put a big tablespoon of the risotto cheese mixture in the pan and  squeeze it with a wooden spatula until the rice is compact and the bottom is set. Now gently flip the round risottino over (in one piece) and cook until golden brown. Take the risottino out and drain it on a piece of kitchen paper and cook the next one. Sprinkle your risottini with some pepper... As simple as that!  

Yummy...

Thanks for the picture Manu!

(For more "food porn" as I like to call it, 

check out Emanuela's website)