One of the best things about working on my book, Eating My Way Through Italy, during the last two years was the chance to dive deep into subjects that I took for granted (pizza for instance) or that I though I knew everything about (olive oil for instance). But one of the most incredible experiences I had was to go back and revisit very first acetaia I had ever been to, over 15 years ago, and take a refresher course on Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale.
Although I have written about this incredible, history-laden product many times before, and have used all manner of true balsamico in my cooking, I realized that I still had a lot to learn. Because like so many of the best things you can put in your mouth in Italy, each bite is complicated, rich and full of stories and history, culture and tradition. And you can never stop learning. (that is the theme of my book, in case you were wondering).Â
For the full story on what I took away during my most recent visit to a barrel-packed bell tower just south of Modena you’re going to have to get my book, which will be published on May 29 (12 days, but who’s counting?). (you can pre-order it now)
But I’m not going to leave you completely empty-handed. Or empty-stomached. Here is one of my favorite recipes in the book, the one that I took away from my visit to Vecchia Dispensa.
Also? I took SO MANY PHOTOGRAPHS that didn’t make it into the book, I just wanted a chance to share them with you!!
PS: If you are in New York on May 23 or Los Angeles on June 5, I’ll be teaching classes at Eataly on how to make this tart and more.
Ricotta, Cherry Jam and Balsamico Tart
The area around Modena is well known for its sour cherries and Roberta, at Vecchia Dispensa, uses them to make jams which find their way into this tart
Ingredients
- 300 gr / 2 1/2 cups flour
- 150 gr 2/3 cup butter (room temp)
- 100 gr / 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1 egg yolk (room temp
- 250 gr. / 1 cup cow milk ricotta
- 100 gr sugar / 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 200 gr / 1 cup sour cherry jam
- 1 Tablespoon Aceto Balsamico di Modena
- Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale
Instructions
- For the Dough: Put all the flour, butter, sugar, lemon zest and egg yolks in a bowl and mix, using your hands, until it comes together.
- Let rest in fridge for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime prepare filling:
- Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C
- Beat the sugar and ricotta till very smooth.
- Stir the Balsamico to the jam
- Line a tart pan with a removable rim with parchment paper.
- Roll out 2/3 of the dough to form the crust out onto a floured surface and then transfer to the tart pan. Don’t worry if it breaks, the dough is very forgiving. Just patch it together.
- Spoon out the jam onto the crust. Then carefully spread out the ricotta on top of that, using the back of a spoon to smooth it out.
- Using the leftover dough, roll out and make strips and top in lattice pattern.
- Brush dough with egg yolk and bake in oven at 180 for about 40 minutes. Let cool before serving.
- When ready to serve, place a slice on individual plates and drizzle with Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale.
For more details about this recipe as well as my travels all over Italy, I’d be thrilled if you purchased my book: EATING MY WAY THROUGH ITALY
And for more on eating in Italy please download my app, Eat Italy. At the moment available on iTunes, but any minute now it will be issued for Android too! (stay tuned and sign up to my newsletter to keep up to date, the sign up is right below this post)
And if you love all of this kind of stuff, then please also subscribe to my YouTube channel for fun food videos. I’m going to be posting a lot more in the next few months, with all the footage I filmed while working on this latest book.
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