During my time in Florence, I was lucky enough to go on a lot of excursions and attend exciting events with my CEA program. On weekends we went to the vineyard at Verrazzano, Cinque Terre, and Rome. Within the city, we went on a boat tour on the Arno River, visited museums, and even took a basket-weaving class. One of my favorite outings was a hands-on cooking class at In Tavola that taught us how to make spaghetti from scratch and how to make the most delicious chocolate lava cake I have ever tasted. It is only right that I now share those recipes with you!
Our group’s experience at In Tavola was very enlightening to say the least. I’ve never made pasta from scratch before, and that was one of the things that really opened my eyes about this experience. I never thought it would be so difficult! There were eight of us in this group, with one cook helping us. His name was Alessandro, and he was obsessed with my friend Mary Peyton. He kept calling her “Maria Pizza”, and he pulled her to the side while we were all making the pasta and had her make the chocolate cake. As he was putting the mixture together while she stirred, he turned to her and said, “You like Triple Sec, baby?” and then proceeded to invite her out that night to a club with his friends. Needless to say she was a little weirded out and politely declined, but ever since that night whenever one of us referred to the cooking class, we couldn’t do it without also asking if the audience liked “Triple Sec, baby?”
*Disclaimer: these recipes were written by our friends at In Tavola, who perhaps don’t have the best understanding of the English langauge.I tried to make these recipes as clear and “Americanized” as possible J Also, the pasta sauce and chocolate cake are made with minor amounts of alcohol. Let it be known that Education Abroad Ambassadors and the Office of International Education do not support underage consumption of alcohol.
APPETIZER (ANTIPASTO): Potato Soufflé
300g (10.6 oz) Boiled potatoes
50g (1.8 oz) Grated parmesan cheese
30g (1 ish oz) Butter
1 Egg (white and yolk)
1 Egg (yolk only)
2 tsp Oregano
2-3 tbsp Milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Soufflé cups (kind of like muffin cups)
Directions:
Grease the soufflé cups. Heat the oven to 170ºC (338ºF). Peel the boiled potatoes and mash with a fork. Add oregano, salt and pepper, and mix. Melt the butter in a pan until light brown. Add the mashed potatoes, eggs, and milk to the pan and mix. Pour mixture into cups until almost full. Cook for 18 min.
MAIN DISH (IL PRIMO): Fresh Egg Pasta (Pasta Fresca all’Uova)
2 Eggs
50g (1.8 oz) Durum wheat flour
150g (5.3 oz) Flour type “00”
Salt
Pasta machine
Directions:
Put the flour in a mound on a large wooden pastry board (or counter) and make a divot or hole into the very center of the mound. Break the eggs into the hole. Beat the eggs and add salt, then slowly begin incorporating the flour from the inside of the hole out using a fork. Knead well until the mixture is smooth and elastic. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let sit for at least thirty minutes before using. Cut the dough into two equal parts. Working with one half at a time, lightly flour, roll flat, fold in three, and roll again. Repeat twice. Using the pasta machine, run the dough through the machines at settings 1, 3, and 5, folding and repeating until the pasta is the desired consistency.
MAIN DISH SAUCE: Fresh Mediterranean Sauce (Sugo Fresco al Mediterraneo)
3 cloves Garlic
5 Medium ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp Capers
1 bunch Parsley
5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ glass White wine
Directions:
Finely chop the garlic cloves. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for thirty seconds, then cool and peel. Chop the tomatoes into cubes. Finely chop the parsley and capers. Add the oil and garlic to a frying pan and fry. Add the capers and cook until the garlic becomes lightly browned. Reduce heat, add the white wine and tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, and parsley and stir until combined, then remove from heat.
DESSERT (IL DOLCE): Chocolate Cake (Torta al Cioccolato)
150g (5.3 oz) Dark chocolate
90g (3.2 oz) Butter
20g (0.7 oz) Corn starch
50g (1.8 oz) Sugar
3 Eggs, separated
Cake pan, individual ramekins, or foil cups
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180ºC (390ºF). Grease the pan/ ramekins/ cups. Melt chocolate and butter in a water bath or double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and add starch and yolks. Whip egg whites, adding sugar gradually, until firm but not stiff. Fold mixture into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into pan/ ramekins/ cups. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
*All recipes from In Tavola, Via dei Velluti 18/20R, Firenze, Italia. +39 055 217672
