Art and Alfalfa: Totelli Maremmani

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Italy the beautiful, Part II

Is it work or is it play?

How many Chefs will let you into their kitchen and knead dough for the evening's dinner guests?

Chef Marina of the Relais Sant'Elena, Bibbona, Italy did just that.
http://www.tenutagardini.it/

Ready to go to work.

We began by combining ingredients for their famous
Ragu'Di Chianina.
Made with meat from the famous white Cattle of which the Relais has a large herd.

Ingredients include olive oil, carrots, onions. celery, tomatoes, tomatoe paste, salt and pepper, cook for about an hour.

Ugo the bull and his heifers usually roam the countryside but it was a little too cool for the young ones. we were told.

Chianina are one of the largest and one of the oldest cattle breeds.

They have been raised for at least 2000 years and have been used not only for the famous bistecca alla fiorentina but also for agricultural power.

The Totelli dough should look like this after about 20 minutes of kneading. .
For the Tortelli Maremmani we used Semolina Flour. I was surprised how difficult it was to knead this dough. I am used to kneading my bread dough made with whole wheat flour.
It is much easier.

Now the fun begins.
Rolling the dough through the machine on the first setting. then on number 3 and finally on number 7.
Filling is made with cooked chopped spinach, ricotta cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, and a little nutmeg.

Place 1 TB of filling 2 inches apart and between 2 layers of dough and trim with special wheel. Let sit for a little while and boil in water for about 10 minutes, and just before serving.

For dessert we made Tiramisu.
Chef Marina soaked ladyfingers in very strong, hot coffee.
She then added a mixture made up of whipping cream, muscarpone cheese, eggs and sugar.

She layered these ingredients into a glass dish and placed it into the refrigerator.

And speaking of eating...

internet
remember when I told you about the Marina di Bibbona
fishing shack? It held a secret.

It has received a Michelin Star.

It wasn't easy but we were able to make reservations for Dinner.

Chef Luciano Zazzeri of "Ristorante La Pineta" is a Fisherman turned Chef and now a famous chef.

What we didn't realize is that the restaurant serves only fish.

There were several Antipasti courses all containing raw fish.

Then a Primi Piatti of fish, then a Secondo Piatto yes, you guessed it, of fish.

I like fish, but in moderation.