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September 2013 - Dinner in Venice

Archives for September 2013

Cous Cous salad with red Radicchio and Pomegranate


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Cous Cous Radicchio Salad with Pomegranate by DinnerInvenice.com 1

Cous cous is probably not the first dish that most of you will associate with Italy. However, if you look at a map, you’ll notice that Southern Sicily is not that far from North Africa, and the locals have been enjoying this type of semolina preparation since Roman times. Much farther North, on the coast of Tuscany, in the sea port of Livorno, “Cuscussu’ ” is also a favorite: first introduced by the Jewish merchants, who had ties in North Africa, it slowly spread to the rest of the population. Not to mention the Sardinian version, Fregola:  tiny 2-mm balls of semolina dough that have been toasted in the oven before being boiled like pasta. Let’s toast to “fusion” with this easy salad, which surprisingly pairs cous cous with a staple of my region, Veneto: red radicchio!

Cous Cous Radicchio Salad with Pomegranate by DinnerInvenice.com 1

Cous Cous salad with Red Radicchio and Pomegranate

8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups "instant" cous cous
  • 2 oranges
  • 2 heads red radicchio
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 cup black olives
  • 1 sprig fresh sage
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Directions

No need to cook the cous cous! Just place it a bowl with about 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 8 tbsp olive oil, and the juice of an orange, salt and pepper. Toss and fluff with a fork, add salt and pepper. let it stand for about 1 hour covered, adding about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water every 10-15 minutes and re-fluffing each time with a fork. In less than an hour, the moisture should be absorbed and the cous cous should be tender, fluffy and light.

In the meantime, cut the radicchio into thin strips and peel the second orange. divide it into slices and also peel the individual slices (or at least eliminate the white membranes!) and cut them into pieces. Combine the radicchio, orange, olives and pomegranate seeds with the cous cous; Adjust salt and pepper,and distribute into 8 individual cups or bowls. Decorate with a few sage leaves fried in hot olive oil.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/09/25/cous-cous-salad-with-red-radicchio-and-pomegranate/

Jewish Pumpkin Treats


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Jewish Pumpkin Treats by DinnerInVenice 2

This month I really spaced and forgot to post my recipe for my friends’ Linkup! Ops!

The theme is “Spread The Joy”, because everybody loves receiving home-made goodies. Enjoy these easy Jewish Italian Pumpkin (or butternut squash) treats: an old Jewish italian recipe perfect for this season!

Jewish Pumpkin Treats by DinnerInVenice

Jewish Pumpkin Treats

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs cubed butternut squash or pumpkin
  • about 2 cups sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of cinnamon, if liked
  • chocolate sprinkles or/and crystal sugar to decorate

Directions

Bake the pumpkin in the oven at 350 F wrapped in foil until soft.

Mash it and, if possible, weigh it and combine it with the same weight in sugar (if not, use about 2 cups). Cook on low heat in a heavy pot (I like enameled cast iron), stirring constantly, until it starts darkening. Remove from the heat, add the spices if liked, and allow to cool.

With a wet watermelon baller or coffee spoons make small balls, roll them in the crystal sugar first and in the dark chocolate sprinkles second, and arrange in mini baking cups.

https://dinnerinvenice.com/2013/09/18/jewish-pumpkin-treats/


Bruscadela – Bread and Wine Trifle


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At the end of Yom Kippur there is a widespread custom to break the fast joyously, since a Midrash (Jewish homiletic story) describes a heavenly voice speaking at the end of the fast with these words from Ecclesiastes:

“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine …..” (Kohelet Rabbah 9:7).

The Jews of Piedmont, Italy, take this quite literally!

Find out how in my new article for The Jewish daily Forward

Bruscadela.Collage.by.Dinnerinvenice