Recipes from The Five Year Plan
One of the features of The Five Year Plan is the gorgeous Italian setting and the scrumptious food and drinks of the Puglian region.
The Puglia region where Bari is located is renowned for its rustic peasant-style food that is unpretentious with a focus on local produce. I’d love to share with you a few of the recipes featured in The Five Year Plan for those who appreciate good food and don’t mind making a mess in the kitchen. After all, the fun is in the preparation and the reward is in sharing the results with family and friends. Enjoy!
Maria’s Cherry Crostata. A rustic style cherry pie with a buttery pastry edge.
Maria’s Cherry Crostata
Time: 1-1.5 hours, 8 servings
2.5 cups plain flour
1 cup butter, chilled
¾ cup sugar
1 pinch salt
Zest of one lemon
3 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup cherry jam
1 lb ripe cherries, washed and pitted, and halved
Icing sugar for dusting
1. Sift the flour and place butter (less 1 tbsp), sugar, salt, and lemon zest in food processor. Pulse gently until mixture is crumbly.
2. Add egg yolks and pulse until mix comes together into a ball. If the dough is still a little crumbly ½-1 tsp chilled water can be added if necessary, but be careful not to let the dough become sticky.
3. Turn dough out onto floured board and flatten into a disk shape. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 45 minutes.
4. Preheat oven 180 degrees Celcius.
5. Remove dough from wrap and turn out onto lightly floured greaseproof paper. Roll dough into approx. 12” circle and then lift paper and dough onto a baking tray. Prick the dough gently with a fork a few times.
6. Heat jam and 1 tbsp butter over low heat then spread the warmed jam over the dough leaving a 2-inch border of dough at the edge.
7. Spread over the cherries on top of jam, then fold the edges of the dough over the cherry mixture leaving a nice circle of cherries exposed in the centre.
8. Bake 30 minutes or until golden.
9. Cool, dust with icing sugar and serve with cream.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with a rich chocolate ganache
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Time: 1-1.5 hours, 8 servings
75 grams hazelnut kernels, toasted
175 grams hazelnut meal
200 grams dark chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa)
200 grams softened butter
6 eggs, separated
2 tbsp Frangelico *see note
*Note: Any hazelnut liqueur is fine, or if you prefer a non-alcoholic alternative you can use hazelnut essence
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
120 grams dark chocolate, chopped (70% cocoa)
200ml thickened cream
Preheat oven to moderate 190 degrees Celcius (160 fan-forced). Line 20 cm round cake tin with baking paper and set aside.
Process hazelnut kernels in a food processor until coarsely ground and set aside for decorating. Melt chocolate and butter over a saucepan of boiling water, then stir in ground hazelnuts. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar until pale. Fold in cooled chocolate hazelnut mixture.
Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form, fold in Frangelico. Fold egg white mix into ,chocolate hazelnut mix. Pour into lined tin and bake for 50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool in tin for ten minutes then remove and cool completely.
To make ganache warm cream in a saucepan over low heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir to melt and until shiny.
Spread over cooled cake and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Serve with cream.
Orecchiette with cauliflower & brown butter pesto made with walnuts. Use fresh pasta where you can, or if you’re keen, make your own!
Orecchiette with Cauliflower
Time: 1.5 hours, 4 servings
1 small cauliflower
1-2 tbsp olive oil
400 grams fresh orecciette
Zest and juice of one lemon
Finely grated parmesan (garnish)
PESTO
160 grams chilled butter
100 grams sage leaves
20 grams grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, crushed
70 grams chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to moderately hot, 230 degrees Celcius.
Chop cauliflower roughly into florets then place them on a baking tray, and drizzle with olive oil. Place in a hot oven to char for approx 10 minutes and then remove.
In a saucepan, melt butter for 4-5 minutes until browned and foaming, add remaining sage leaves until crisp. Remove from heat and combine with walnut garlic mix until it forms a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Cook orecchiette in salted boiling water until al dente (approx 10 mins). Drain and reserve some liquid.
Combine pasta, pesto sauce, lemon juice & rind, and cauliflower in pasta pot adding some reserved liquid to loosen it up. Serve with extra sage leaves, parmesan, and lemon wedges.
