Soft Cegliese Biscuit

Serves 4

1 kilo of toasted almonds
1 kilo of white almonds
700 g sugar
100 ml honey
100 ml rosolio liqueur
Orange and lemon peel
5 eggs
Cherry jam

Method

Grind the almonds and mix all the ingredients together, apart from the jam. Shape the mixture into small rolls of approximately 2 cm and put some cherry jam into the centre.  Put into a pre-heated oven (180 degree) for 5 minutes.

Timbale of Lamb with a French Bean Cream and Cooked Negroamaro Vincotto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

30cl extra virgin olive oil
500g leg of lamb, cut into julienne strips
1 spring onion
Garlic, 1 clove
Thyme
200cl lamb stock
Salt
200g French beans
1 tablespoon Pecorino cheese, grated
4 slices dry bread
50g Negroamaro vincotto
Fresh mint

50 gr. di mosto cotto di Negramaro
4 fette di pane cotto nel forno a legna del giorno prima
4 stampi in silpat circolari del diametro di 7 cm
Menta fresca

Method

You will need 4 non stick round moulds, 7cm diameter

In a frying pan, heat a small amount of oil and cook the julienned lamb for a couple of minutes until browned.  Add to the pan the spring onion, whole garlic clove, thyme, the lamb stock and salt and cook for 1 minute.  

Wash, top and tail and blanch the French beans.  Drain and immerse immediately in iced water and then blend with a small amount of oil and salt.  Mix the cheese and lamb together.  Line the moulds with the bread slices and then fill with the lamb mixture leaving the sauce residue in the pan. Put the moulds in a pre-heated 180C oven for 8 minutes.  Add the vincotto to the sauce in the pan and heat until the sauce has reduced by a third.  Arrange the hot bean cream on to serving plates, remove the timbales from the moulds and dress with the vincotto sauce.  Finish by drizzling with the extra virgin olive oil and mint.

Ricotta and Chicory Gnocchi

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1.2kg chicory
500g ricotta
50g flour
2 tbsp cheese, grated
2 eggs
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Wash the chicory in plenty of water.  Drain and cook in salted water. Drain and keep warm. 
Finely sieve the ricotta.  Place on a board and mix with the flour.  Make a well and add the beaten eggs, cheese and seasoning.  Knead for a minute.
Flour the board and make the gnocchi with a palette knife.  Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the gnocchi.  When the gnocchi rise to the surface, remove them from the pan, drain and serve on the bed of chicory.  Drizzle with the oil.

Pasta-filled Baked Aubergines

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 aubergines
Fresh tomato sauce
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
250g fresh pasta
100g minced veal and pork
Cheese
4 Basil leaves

Method

Halve the aubergines lengthwise, scoop out the flesh and cook in a pan with the tomato sauce, garlic and oil.  Season.  Bake the hollowed out aubergines for 5 minutes.  Cook the pasta and at the same time, lightly fry the minced meat then mix with the aubergine and tomato mixture, and the pasta.  Fill the aubergine halves with this, sprinkle over the cheese and return to the oven for 10 minutes.  Serve each aubergine half garnished with a basil leaf.

Photo by Giulia Rossanigo (www.flickr.com/photos/giuliarossanigo/)