Ciao! My friend Maria Bergamasco lives in the heart of Tuscany with her elderly mother, between the old town of Certaldo and the tourist-loved San Gimignano. Of English descent, Maria has lived and worked in Tuscany for a great many years, running self catering apartments at her exclusive Villa la Fonte set amidst cypress trees in the lush, sunlit countryside.
Maria has shared many of her favourite recipes with me, all typically Italian, and all wonderful additions to my thick file of recipes garnered over time from various sources. Of course, the best way to learn Italian cooking is to take a local cooking class, which I actually did in Certaldo with one of Maria’s friends. But in this time of restricted travel, we must make do with virtual recipe sharing and practice in our own kitchen. Good luck and let me know your favourite!
Yoghurt Mousse and Orange Sauce
Ingredients:
300ml natural yoghurt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
15g gelatin (3 sheets)
200ml whipped cream
Method:
Whip egg yolk and sugar together in a bowl or mixer
Add yoghurt slowly
Soak gelatin in cold water in a bowl until soft, then beat in a pan over heat until it liquifies
Remove gelatin from heat and slowly add to the yoghurt mixture, stirring constantly
Whip cream separately until stiff and then fold into yoghurt mixture
Refrigerate
Orange sauce:
Juice of 3 oranges
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Cointreau
Cornflour to thicken
Method:
Heat all the sauce ingredients together in a pan
Add a little cornflour to thicken slightly.
Allow to cool
Serve mousse with orange sauce poured over top for a delicious, light dessert